A Gal's Life
by EveryNever
Summary: “I hate feeling like I owe you one or something, so just tell me a quick favor you want so I can even the score!” “That’s easy. All you have to do is give your complete approval when I start dating your younger sister.” RanxYuuya AyaxRei Chapter 9 now up!
1. Hot Days, Hateful Ceilings, and Aya's Ou

Hey everyone, EveryNever here! Welcome to my first fanfic and the first chapter in A Gal's Life. Just as a little beginning note to you guys, I have only watched the first season of Gals! (episodes 1-26) so my fic won't involve anything that happened in the series after those episodes. Yeah, I have read some summaries for what happens in the second season but I don't believe those summaries really do the series justice, so this is the way its going to be.

Disclaimer: Don't own Gals! Never have, never will.

And now with out further ado….

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Chapter 1: Hot Days, Hateful Ceilings, and Aya's Outer Space Adventure

Had summer days always been like this? It was so hot and dry, that any water that even dared to go within a foot of the burning cement seemed to nearly burst into flames. Pretty much everyone was affected by this heat. Shibuya was moving in slow motion and not many were on this usually busy city's streets today. Mothers with their children's fingers, sticky from melted ice cream locked in their sweaty hands tried their best to get inside, someplace with air conditioning, but seemed to have lost the strength to do so. The children barely spoke, too overheated to even complain. A lone dog whined, its fur bringing too much discomfort to stand, as it searched for what little shade might be left in this desolate city.

"HACHIIIIII!" Ran whimpered as she slowly dragged herself over to her stone companion. "What am I supposed to do Hachi! You and your master probably had days like this, where the heat was just too much! Tell me what to do or I'll die! I will really roll over and die! Do you want that Hachi? No you don't, you're my only real friend in the world aren't you. I NEED SOME FOOD AND WATER DAMMIT! HELP ME HACHI!"

Miyu sighed as she watched her friend's pathetic monologue from a safe distance, "Ran, what is Miyu supposed to do with you? You wouldn't happen to have a bit of money on you to treat our little spoiled princess here to a meal would you Aya?"

"No, sorry but I'm broke now, I just spent the last of my money getting a couple records I've been wanting." Aya shook her head as she watched Shibuya's #1 Gal attract the attention of more and more of the few people still on the streets.

"Was it the records you liked, or the guy that was selling them to you?" Miyu teased her friend, elbowing her playfully.

Aya blushed even redder in the summer heat. "I umm.. well, you see-"

Aya's nervous stuttering was interrupted by Ran's wild screaming. She had finally managed to crawl up to Hachiko and had flung her arms around the stone dog. As we already know; today was a VERY hot day and guess what happens to stone statues on hot days? Yeah, they get VERY hot too, as Ran has probably learned by now.

"OWWWW!" Ran screeched. "Hachi you traitor! Even you have turned against me!"

As she crumpled, utterly defeated, to the ground, her puddle of tears started sizzling on the sidewalk like a bunch of fried eggs.

"We really need to do something to stop Ran from causing anymore of a ruckus." Aya said hastily trying to change the subject.

"Oh! Look its Otohata and Second Place!" Miyu pointed to the two fashionably dressed guys sipping a couple sodas on a park bench nearby.

Before either of the girls could head over to ask for help the cheerful, blonde haired one glanced over toward the commotion going on over by the statue of Hachiko. As soon as he saw what (or should I say, who) was the center of attention he was immediately on his feet hurrying toward the scene.

"Ran! What's wrong!" Yuuya hovered over her, concerned.

"Second Place? ... Second Place! You're just the guy I've wanted to see! I'm saved!" Ran's unfathomable depression had just vanished in an instant and was replaced with an ever-widening Cheshire cat grin.

"I-I am?" Yuuya stuttered, eyes widening in surprise. "Really Ran? I'm so-"

As he started smile she again started to speak, "Buy me some food and a few drinks will you? I'm starving, what about you? I'm so happy you came along when I was so hungry like this Second Place. Come on, there's no time to waste, there's so much food just waiting to be eaten out there!"

Without giving him any time to protest, she dragged him and his wallet over to the nearest restaurant. Yuuya's smile had all but been completely replaced with a look of disappointment. As he was dragged past his friend Rei, still calmly sipping his drink on the bench, all he got was a look from his friend that he knew from many past experiences meant, "What were you expecting idiot?"

* * *

"Mmmm!" Ran gulped down her food like there would be no tomorrow. "This has got to be one of the best hamburgers I've ever tasted! I owe you one Second Place."

"I'm glad you're feeling better Ran." Yuuya gave her a smile; his spirits had again lifted just because he was near her. "You looked like you were about to die out there."

As he finished talking Yuuya couldn't help but look at Ran. Everything about her seemed so amazing to him. She seemed more like a goddess than a human. He knew her long, slender legs were stretched lazily out under the table because (he blushed) her sandal kept lightly brushing against his shin. Her clothes were top notch, as always, he knew her short-sleeved, pink turtleneck and jean skirt were probably in the height of fashion at the moment, but the main thing that he cared about wasn't the fashion, it was just the fact that they looked so darn cute on her! No matter what she says, pale skin suits her, and he was glad she can never seem to get a tan. Today her hair was let down, with her curls just touching her bare shoulders as her red streak glimmered in the sunlight. 'Only a couple bites more until she finishes her food.' He half thought to himself as he watched her fork as it traveled from her plate to her mouth. His gaze stopped on her ruby red lips. The lipstick she had on looked really nice today. Mesmerized, he watched the two lips move, up and down, up and down. It was as if those lips were hypnotizing him, putting under a some sort of hazy spell, he couldn't get his eyes to wander away, he was entranced. He was-

"I SAID SECOND PLACE! HELLO! ANYONE HOME!" Yuuya just realized Ran was nearly screaming at him and jumped up in surprise banging his knee against the merciless, metal table.

"AH!" Yuuya grimaced and bit his lip as the traces of a bruise were already making themselves known on that same knee. As his mind came all the way back to reality with this unwelcome present of pain, Yuuya suddenly realized this table had the curious eyes of nearly half of the restaurant, while the other half studiously eyed their food or the wall or anywhere that wasn't anywhere near where he and Ran sat.

"You all right Second Place? I don't think it's a good idea to duke it out with the table because I'm pretty sure you'd lose." Ran laughed as she watched her friend try to gain what was left of his mauled dignity, completely oblivious to the stares aimed at her from the other tables. This was what she liked best about the guy sitting across from her. He could always seem to make her laugh without trying to, no matter how down she had been feeling before. His little "bunny dance" was something that would get her on the floor laughing anytime she thought of it. Her depressing talk with Hachi and the summer heat were all but forgotten as she noticed him sinking lower and lower into his seat. With a grin she decided to finally break the heavy silence that seemed to be absolutely killing #2. "Are you going to finish that?" She pointed her fork to the nearly untouched remains of Yuuya's burger.

"Um… y-yeah! Help yourself Ran." He half laughed, half sighed as the atmosphere in the restaurant nearly returned to normal thanks to her. Still unable to calm down his frenzied nerves Yuuya jerked out of his seat like an unmanned pogo stick. "I'll go and pay the bill while you finished the rest of that."

He gave her a quick smile and started walking with sporadic steps towards the front of the restaurant, not even getting halfway to his destination before one of his drunken steps landed his already damaged knee straight against the table of a booth occupied by a pleasant looking elderly couple. Hopping on his undamaged leg, Yuuya held his throbbing appendage with one hand while trying to mop up the coffee that spilled all over the food of the old man with a napkin he grabbed from the table with his other hand, all the while apologizing to that poor guy whose lunch he'd completely ruined and the woman who by the look on her face he guessed he had very likely nearly scared to death. If there was a shovel around, Yuuya knew he would use it to dig a hole right through the floor of this restaurant, then he would crawl in it and never face the light of day again, living on the table scraps people who pitied him would throw down to who they now called the "crazy boy in the hole who nearly killed (whatever that lady's name was)." Sadly, Yuuya did not have a shovel and he knew that even if he did manage to dig himself a hole, Ran would drag him out of it, if only so he would pay for her food.

Ran who was watching poor Second Place while finishing the last of his food was having the time of her life, laughing and inhaling hamburger at the same time. She never thought she would get this much enjoyment out of someone's pain and utter embarrassment as much as she was now.

* * *

"It's just too hot to do anything these days." Rei muttered to himself while he still lounged on the bench sipping the last of his drink. "I don't know how Yuuya does it, running after that crazy girl all around Shibuya in this heat." All he could do was sigh as he watched his friend get dragged off by Ran.

"Otohata." he turned his head to see Aya walk slowly towards him. "G-good afternoon."

"Oh, hello Hoshino." Rei nonchalantly replied as he threw his drink into a trashcan next to her. "I think the heat is getting to you, your face is all red. Sit down here if you want, part of this bench is in the shade."

"T-thanks, I will." Aya blushed an even deeper shade of crimson.

And then, there was silence. Every few seconds Aya would glance at Rei as she sat on the bench, then quickly look away. Her companion just relaxed, gazing into space. Even though Aya felt tense and nervous, she also felt amazingly content just being near the one she loved. Soon, though, the silent moments were broken by a yell.

"RAN! I'M SORRY I'M LATE, DON'T BE ANGRY!" Tatsukitchi zoomed past the sitting couple, (well, now one of them wasn't exactly sitting) sprinting towards the stone dog like his life depended on it. "I NEVER MEANT TO BE... Ran?" he stopped, looked around and found his girlfriend nowhere in sight. "Oh no! She must have gotten mad and left! Ran, baby, I'm so sorry!"

Miyu (who was relaxing on the other side of the park, trying to give Rei and Aya some alone time) could only watch as yet another crowd of people gathered around Hachiko in the sweltering heat to watch this guy make a fool of himself.

"Tatsukitchi!" the voice stopped the Monkey Boy's bubble of apologies in their tracks as he spun around to the voice.

"Ran is that you?" he stared ecstatic at the girl rushing over to him. "So you didn't leave after all I'm so glad I-"

"Ran Kotobuki has arrived!" ignoring his apologies she went on, "What the hell were you just doing?"

"You just got here?" he sighed with relief.

"God, I was only a little late. Now get me some food will you? I'm so hungry!"

"And with that, another man's cash goes down Ran's bottomless stomach." Miyu sighed as she watched Ran drag Tatsukitchi this time to the cafe next to the one she went to with Second Place. "Well, it looks like Miyu is no longer needed here so she will go visit Yamato in his police box!" she smiled a quaint little smile and walked to where the love of her life was waiting.

* * *

"Now, now Ran…" Tatsuki pleaded with everything he had. "Do you have to order this much baby girl? You know I'd do anything for you but my wallet isn't exactly bursting with yen and I don't think I can pay for all that"

"Come on Monkey Boy. I'm your girlfriend, find some way to pay for this or what good are you to me?" Ran was nearly drooling over a few burgers that had passed by their table.

He sighed and took a whinier tone, "Ran, sometimes I think you love food more than you care about me! How about this?" He again completely changed tones, this time to something a little more, well, suggestive. "I'll get you anything you want and in return you give me a kiss."

"This isn't a subsidate, you perv." She gave him a light punch and then turned to the waitress softly clearing her throat who had been patiently, extremely annoyed but still patiently waiting. "I'll have everything on this side of the menu here, and all the appetizers down to here!"

"Yes Miss, your order will be here soon." And with that the waitress sped off with an almost inhuman speed, free of her annoying customers.

As soon as their waitress high tailed it away from their table Tatsuki leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, putting on an endless grin, "The Gods of para para and love have each brought me their amazing gifts I will always, always treasure. My Ran, you are what the Gods of love have given and I love, love, love you! And today.…" he paused for dramatic effect and leaned even further towards Ran as his elbow was poked by her fork, "the Gods of para para gave another gift to my undeserving self, that of course cannot rival you but is still something I just can't help but ook with joy over! What I have been…." Tasuki trailed off, noticing his girlfriend wasn't listening to him at all. "Ran?" He sighed giving up as his head made the long journey back to rest on the between his elbows at his side of the table. This important news would have to wait no matter how much he wanted to tell his Ran-pyon.

Free of her duties as customer, Ran had leaned back against the fluffy, bouncy softness that was the back of her booth, half listening to Monkey Boy go on about something about Gods. Had he found himself a religion? She bet he had joined some cult worshipping para para and monkeys. As she stretched out her feet and put her arms behind her head she found herself with a clear view of the ceiling. As most all who know her know, Ran has an attention span that's not even half the length of the skirts she wears and after Tasukitchi had gone into about a sentence of is ill-fated speech Ran's mind was far away. It wasn't anything special, but she found it somehow relaxing to run her gaze over the cracks in the peeling beige paint above her. She wasn't much of a deep thinker, but Ran couldn't help but wonder how many other people had been here before her, in this very same spot. Then her mind wandered to what foods they must have eaten. They might have eaten foods that this restaurant doesn't serve now! Some type of delicious burger or pasta dish that she would never get to try!

"DAMN THOSE LUCKY BASTARDS!" Ran jumped up and yelled at the ceiling with a vengeance.

"Ran sweets, what's the matter?" Tatsuki ookied to her side, trying in vain to understand and calm her sudden animosity towards a seemingly harmless and defenseless ceiling

Completely unwilling to be soothed Ran turned tail and started stomping with gargantuan steps towards the exit. A befuddled Tatsuki went to follow but was stopped in his tracks by a hand roughly yanking the back of his shirt.

No, it's not that she wasn't a nice girl. She seemed like your average, fun loving gal somewhere in her twenties or so. Her looks didn't leave much room for criticism, with her thin, nicely curved body, and her nut brown, silky hair that brushed lightly against her back in her neat ponytail as she walked, leaving her bangs to aggressively settle themselves along her petite forehead. Maybe she had gotten in a fight with her boyfriend, maybe it was her "time of the month", or maybe she just couldn't stand waiting on idiotic customers like this dark skinned excuse for a monkey she had clenched in her talons. Well, whatever it was, Tatsukitchi would most likely never know. All he had time to process in that brain of his was that this waitress had completely snapped.

With a malicious glint in her bedraggled eyes she slowly spoke, "Sir, I believe you still have a bill to pay."

Tatsuki could only nod in complete fear for his soul, when he hastily counted up the money he believed he was giving to the devil's reincarnation, though suddenly he stopped short.

"What seems to be the problem sir?" the murderous glint had spread from her eyes to her taunt smile giving her the look of a lion about to pounce for the kill.

"Well, it's pretty funny actually." The Monkey Boy hopped from foot to foot as he gave an attempt at a cheery laugh. "I don't seem to have enough money to pay for this, ook ook. Isn't that the craziest thing?" As his eyes slowly traveled back to her face his laughter dried up like a lone ice cube on Mars at the height of August. "Are there any dirty plates around here?" he started praying for life as she took a chilling step toward him…

* * *

As Aya sat on the bench next to Rei, she felt more and more at peace in the silence they shared. All thoughts of making a conversation were long gone as a dreamy smile crept onto her lips, accenting the light blush that never left her cheeks.

It was about this moment that Monkey Boy decided to make his entrance and about this moment where Aya's blissful reverie ended. As Tatsuki shot by them, late for his date with Ran, his yell brought Aya straight back into reality with a bang. Like an echo to the previous yell, Aya screamed herself, leaping into the air and the crashing into something before tumbling down, down, down, like a runaway log on a tilted ice rink. Suddenly, in a mess of tangled limbs, Aya came to a stop.

"You okay?"

"Y-yes, I'm alright, I'm perfectly fine." Aya smiled weakly and tried unsuccessfully to banish the light-headedness that had come just after she had landed back on Earth. Yeah, she wouldn't have been surprised if she had jumped all the way through the Earth's atmosphere and circled the planet once before falling back down on her side of the bench. Wait… this wasn't the bench…

"Then will you kindly get off me now?"

Aya's head snapped down to see, not a bench, but Rei Otohata instead. When she jumped off the bench she must have locked onto Rei and sent him tumbling with her down the small, grassy hill on the other side of their seat. His hair was a mess, full of grass and leaves, and his clothes looked like that had been used in place of paper in an origami class. She embarrassedly noted she was probably in a similar condition, but suddenly discovered something even more unsettling. She was lying on top of, no, nearly straddling her current crush next to one of the most traveled paths in the park. She flew up, again, to what she believed must have been the depths of outer space and then flew back down landing a couple feet away from Rei in a matter of seconds.

"I'm so sorry! I really didn't mean to do that! When Tatsukitchi came by and yelled like that I was just so…" Aya rambled, teary eyed until Rei finally spoke.

"It's fine Hoshino, it's fine. Like you said, you didn't do it on purpose, so don't worry about it." Rei looked at Aya with an expression the girl couldn't even begin to fathom.

For a few moments they both stared at each other in complete silence. Aya found herself lost in those unreadable eyes of his. It was as if his unrelenting stare could freeze her very soul while melting it into butter at the same time. A nearby snicker brought her back to reality this time and she realized where she was and what this must look like. She jumped to her feet, her cheeks an even deeper crimson.

"Ah, um, I'm really sorry about this. I-I have to go, I promised Miyu I would do something for her, yeah." She again rambled on while hurriedly backing away. "Well… goodbye!" with that, she dashed off, now oblivious to this day's never-ending waves of heat.

"Something for Yamazaki, huh." Rei watched her retreating figure with that same expression, now sitting up. He grabbed a seemingly unused napkin that was flitting around on the grass next to him in the weak breeze, beginning to fan himself with it. "Everyone seems to have so much energy these days. How they all can sprint around in this heat is still completely beyond my comprehension."

* * *

"Achoo!"

"Are you okay Miyu? Are you coming down with a cold? Maybe you should go home early and rest!"

"Miyu is feeling perfectly fine Yamato. This is the first time Miyu sneezed all day. Besides, even if Miyu was sick, being here with you would be the best medicine." She smiled happily in the silence that followed, as she watched her now flustered officer shuffle through some of his papers.

* * *

"Reiiiiiiii."

The napkin he was currently using to lazily fan himself stopped for a moment in mid-swing as he heard the unmistakable, whiney voice coming straight from behind him, but started up fanning again as quickly as it had stopped. It wasn't as if he hadn't seen this coming. As he turned around to face that overemotional, romantic sop of a friend of his, his fan never stopped again. Instead, he nearly couldn't help but laugh, which is something Rei Otohata never, EVER does. Yuuya was staring down at Rei (who still hadn't moved an inch since his 'close encounter' with Aya) with a look only a dejected puppy could ever quite master. A waterfall of tears cascaded down his cheeks, but evaporated in this undying heat before they could even reach the ground. Just below his self-made sauna was a knee that looked pretty close to the size of Mount Everest, spouting all the colors of the rainbow. In his trembling, clenched fist, he was strangling a napkin that seemed to have absorbed some unknowing innocent's lunch and then whatever they had already had for breakfast along with it. The laugh Rei managed to hold in, but he couldn't hide the bemused smile that took hold of his face.

"Reiiiiiii." Yuuya's countenance seemed to grow more pitiful by the second, if that was even possible. "They were all staring like I was some kind crazy drunkard… and… and that woman nearly died… and the coffee…" He suddenly stopped, and started walking slowly towards his friend and leaned down until he was nearly swapped by the fanning napkin. In a final spurt of energy, he finished his story, "And Ran… she…", with that, he slumped to the ground, resting his head against Rei's leaf-covered back, whimpering.

"So, let me get this straight," Rei sighed and got to his feet, heading toward his motorcycle close by, while dragging his bedraggled friend along with him, "You got drunk, so you nearly killed Ran with coffee." He looked back at his friend who was off in his 'the-world-is-ending-because-I-did-something-idiotic -like-I-always-do-in-front-of-Ran -that-I-think-will-make-her-hate-me-but-she-most-likely-forgot-about-it-four-seconds-later stage', as Rei likes to call it, and had most likely not heard a word he had said or even noticed how closely Rei now resembles a bush.

"I'll ask again later if I feel particularly insane at that moment." He sighed again as he nearly threw the limp Yuuya onto his motorcycle before getting on himself. "Well, on the bright side, if I get charged as an accomplice to an attempted murder of an unbelievably annoying kogal at least I'll know who to blame."

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And that's the end of chapter one! Yay! You know what I would love? I would love love love reviews! As I already said before, this is my first fanfiction work, so I have no idea what the readers (you) will think of my writing style. Tell me how I'm doing so I can improve and make the next chapter more interesting to all of you out there. Flamers welcome as long as they give me some constructrive criticism!

I hope you'll stay tuned for chapter two, here's a teaser for ya.

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An excerpt from Chapter 2: When Study Sessions Go Horribly Wrong…

The room was soon quiet again, except for the turning of a page or an occasional moaning noise from Ran. Aya had moved on to her English homework and placed her math homework in her now quite large "finished pile". Miyu was concentrating her history reading. She had her tongue sticking out, barely touching her top lip, as it always did when she was thinking hard; the harder she thought, the further her tongue stuck out. Ran watched that tongue a lot during exams; it always gave her a good laugh. Ran herself hadn't even started a single assignment, like her friends had noted earlier. There was still one week left until school started up again, so she could still put it off for a little while longer until her parents got into the picture. Now, she stole another glance at the clock. Fifteen minutes had passed and Ran Kotobuki had had enough. She glanced at her two homework-absorbed friends, smirked, and decided on a different tactic.


	2. When Study Sessions Go Horribly Wrong

Hey everyone, I'm back! Here's chapter 2 for ya!

Disclaimer: It is a known fact that people who wear contacts can never, ever, ever create anything close to, or in any ways resembling anything at all that would seem even like a minor infringement of copyright laws, with ideas or storylines having to do with the anime or manga of Gals! whose orginal ideas and storylines come from the brilliant mangaka, Mihona Fujii. Yes, I wear contacts.

Chapter 2: When Study Sessions Go Horribly Wrong…

* * *

"Have you even started one piece of your summer homework?" Miyu drew in a deep breath and let it all out again in one long, despairing sigh. "Really, Ran, you're going to have to start sometime! I remember last year you didn't even get half of it done because you started the night before school was back in, and even that was because your parents nearly tied you to a chair to keep you home to work on it!" 

"Nag, nag, nag. You're getting worse than my mom Miyu, and that's an uber accomplishment. Not a good one, but still an accomplishment." Ran retorted idly as she twisted one of her few red strands of hair.

The red-streaked gal crashed down onto the pile of pillows she had strategically laid behind herself just as everyone was getting settled. Today was the day she, Aya, and Miyu had decided to meet at her house and have a studying day. This hadn't been her idea, of course. They had bribed her with a big bowl of her favorite type of Raman, and now she was stuck here, bored nearly out of her mind. If she had had any say in the matter, they would roaming the streets of Shibuya, with bags of clothes and jewelry they had just bought in one hand and in the other, there would be a magical, refilling plate of takoyaki (hey, a girl can dream can't she?)!

"I agree with Miyu, Ran." Aya tried once again to convince her fidgeting friend while finishing her last few math problems. "You are going to have to start working a least a little sometimes if you want to pass your next year of high school. Summer is almost over and we're going to be seniors. This is a big year for all of us with college entrance exams coming up."

"What do I care about those stupid exams? They are like a bajillion years away so we should enjoy ourselves while we still can! Come on, it's not too late to go out and have some fun!" Ran jumped up and tried to nearly drag Aya out the door, math book and all.

"Ran! We decided we would work today and that's what we're going to do." Miyu sent her a death glare as she put herself between Ran and the door.

"Listen to Miyu, Ran. If we work today, we can go out tomorrow and have all the fun we want with a free conscience."

Ran looked at Aya's pleading face, then she turned to Miyu's determined one. After a few silent moments, she sighed and slithered back over to her pillows, where she let out an even bigger sigh. She was letting her friends win for now, but she was also making sure they knew she wasn't at all happy about it.

The room was soon quiet again, except for the turning of a page or an occasional moaning noise from Ran. Aya had moved on to her English homework and placed her math homework in her now quite large "finished pile". Miyu was concentrating her history reading. She had her tongue sticking out, barely touching her top lip, as it always did when she was thinking hard; the harder she thought, the further her tongue stuck out. Ran watched that tongue a lot during exams; it always gave her a good laugh. Ran, herself, hadn't even started a single assignment, like her friends had noted earlier. There was still one week left until school started up again, so she could still put it off for a little while longer until her parents got into the picture. Now, she stole another glance at the clock. Fifteen minutes had passed and Ran Kotobuki had had enough. She glanced at her two homework-absorbed friends, smirked, and decided on a different tactic.

"Seen much of my big bro lately Miyu?"

Miyu glanced up from her book, surprised, and staring at a suspiciously smug looking Ran. Ran never talks about her and Yamato without Miyu bringing up the subject first. Nevertheless, Miyu took the seemingly harmless bait, "Miyu hasn't seen Yamato for three whole days! She is beginning to despair, thinking she might never ever see him again!"

"Never fear Miyu! Super Ran has come to your rescue. Today, big bro's shift ends at three thirty, and what time is it now?" Ran's Cheshire cat grin had made a sudden reappearance as she waited for her reply.

Miyu glanced at the clock and gasped. "It's three ten!"

"If you head out right now, you just might catch him in time to go out on a lovey dovey date!"

Miyu sprung up and Ran nearly pushed her out the door with a quick. "Have a good time!" When Miyu was out and on her way, a suspiciously smug Ran muttered in a near inaudible whisper, "One down, one to go."

Ran nearly skipped up to her room, feeling her freedom close at hand. As she entered she was silent for a few moments, slowly assessing her next prey. Aya had nearly finished her English homework by this time, man, that girl worked fast! She was seemingly completely absorbed in her book and probably hadn't even noticed Miyu had left or that Ran was now eyeing her like she was the last worm on Earth and Ran was the last bird. Finally, Ran decided to take the plunge.

"Hey, Aya?"

"What is it Ran?" Aya closed her English book, probably now finished with nearly all of her homework.

"How's it going with you and Otohata? Any progress lately?" She plopped down, cross-legged, next to Aya and gave the now red faced girl her complete attention.

"Well, um, I saw him about a couple of weeks ago…" she squirmed tried to shrink down behind her pile of homework.

'You're not getting away that easily' Ran grinned to herself, "So, what happened? Did you two make out?"

"No!" Aya nearly screamed back her reply, "We… just…" she thought back to that day with Rei that had gone from sitting in a relaxed silence, to a one way trip down one of the most bumpy hills around, "… sat."

"Omigawd Aya, seriously?" Ran was truly saddened by how slow her friend was wading through the game of love. "You have to take initiative girl! I'll tell you what you are going to do right now. You are going to go over to the Shibuya train station, and you are going to see if Rei shows up there. He comes to Shibuya a lot for his stupid model publicity crap and I heard that sometime this week he was going to have a photo shoot there. If he doesn't show up, you call him and ask him out to Shibuya yourself!" as Ran was giving Aya her lesson in romance she was helping the girl gather her things and, like Miyu, she very nearly threw the girl out the door.

With a new found determination, Aya gave Ran a cautious smile, "Thanks for the pep talk Ran, I needed that. I'll see you later." Aya waved then walked off with a fresh goal in mind.

* * *

Today had been a busy day, with a couple of purse snatchings and a robbery at a nearby convenience store on top of all the new paper work his boss had given him to fill out. Yamato Kotobuki groaned in frustration, it was past three and he was still drowning in work. If he hadn't known better, he would have believed he had more work than when he started early this morning. Suddenly, he heard another taping at his door. Gritting his teeth, he prayed it was just a pedestrian asking for some easy directions. 

"Yes, yes. I'll be right there." He called out from behind his mound of paperwork.

He finished up one of his papers and headed out to see what sort of predicament he would have to help someone out of.

"Miyu!" Yamato found himself staring down his cheery, and undeniably beautiful girlfriend. "What in the world are you doing here?"

"Miyu heard you were getting off early from work, so she figured after you got off, we could go on a lovey dovey date together!" as she talked, she entwined her arms in his and gave him her prettiest smile, which she knew from past experience could convince him to do many things for her.

"W-who told you I'd get off early today?" a blushing Yamato tried in vain to keep his composure while having this blond bombshell latched onto his arm. "If anything I-I'll be working late today, because my boss just gave me a new stack of a paperwork. I doubt I'll be done anytime soon."

"What! But Ran told Miyu-"

"Ran did? When do I ever talk to Ran about when I get off from work?"

"Ooo, that Ran!" suddenly Miyu realized what was going on. "Today was a day that Ran, Aya, and Miyu had planned to use as a study day. Nearly, right after we started studying, Ran was going stir crazy so she must have used this excuse to trick Miyu!"

Miyu started to run back to Ran's house, where she would give that girl a piece of her mind but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.

"You don't have to leave just yet. If you want to stay, I won't stop you." Yamato lifted his hand from her shoulder and looked away, nervously waiting for a reply.

What he got instead was a giant hug from behind, "Miyu would love to stay!" she squealed in delight. "She will be as quiet as a mouse so Yamato can get his work done."

Yamato gave her a lopsided grin as they headed back into the police box and gave her the comfiest of the two chairs that were always in there. As she contentedly rested her head on her hands, watching Yamato at work, Miyu made herself a mental to note to thank Ran whenever she next had the chance.

* * *

"Ahhhh. Freedom… who knew it felt so good?" Ran laughed out loud just for the fun of it, "And now that I'm currently free of my 'friends turned workaholics', I can go and have a good time!" 

Pushing through the crowds of people that now traveled through the busy streets, she made her way to one of the main malls in Shibuya that was within walking distance. Summer still seemed to be at its peak, as you could tell by just watching the panting pedestrians, who all looked like they might get a bad case of heat stroke at any moment. Ran herself was feeling the heat, even though she had been in a nice air-conditioned house only minutes earlier. She couldn't wait to get inside the nice cool indoor mall that had a food court with an ice cream parlor as well!

Just as that lifesaver of a mall came into view, her cell phone decided to ring. Controlled by habit, her hand reached down to grab her cell, but just as it touched the smooth surface of her newly bought case (a little gift from Second Place), the hand recoiled as if it had been burned by the touch. Little Miss Ran had realized that by now her friends had probably seen through that little trick she pulled and now were most likely out for her blood. She stood completely still and just stared at the phone for a while, half hoping that staring at the case long enough would will that stupid thing to stop ringing, for she knew who was most likely calling.

The heat and her destination were now forgotten and the pushes, shoves and shouts she received like, "Stop blocking the road you idiot!" and "Answer your damn phone and get moving!" or even a couple concerned comments of "Are you alright miss?" were completely ignored by the stone still kogal, as she continued to barricade the middle of a very busy sidewalk. After what seemed like an eternity or two to her, the ringing did stop, accompanied by Ran's small sigh of relief. Not a second after the last breath of her sigh escaped her lips, her cell phone started up the horrible ringing once again with a seemingly malicious vengeance! Ran was now staring at this hand held item like it was some type of deathly poison. About a few moments into the staring contest, the phone once again stopped ringing, and once again started up again! This continued for about four more sessions until Ran's eyes were blurred to the point were she couldn't see anything from keeping them open for so long and she was about to smash the thing against anything hard she was currently standing by (it was a good thing people were starting to try to move around the girl instead of trying to brutally convince her at about this point or they might have gotten one serious head injury). Finally, she just couldn't take it anymore; Ran Kotobuki had snapped. With a wild look in her eyes, she whipped the cell phone out of her case and…. answered it.

"Alright Aya, Miyu or whoever this is. I give up, dammit. What do you want me to do? Wear a sign that says 'I'm a loser that won't study' for the rest of the week? Or do you want me to study by myself in some dark corner for a whole day? I'll do anything! I really will, if you just stop calling me like that!" Ran made her way through that mass of people without must protest on their part and slid back against one of the nearby walls in defeat. She even considered taking off her sock and waving it like a white flag of surrender just for the heck of it.

"Um, Ran… did I call at a bad time?"

At the sound of that voice, Ran's head and body shot up straighter than they ever had before, most like correcting any bad posture problems she had made for herself with her usual slumping in class. This was definitely not the voice she was expecting to hear when she answered her currently nicknamed 'cell from hell'.

* * *

"What in the world was I thinking?" Aya sighed as she sank down onto the nearest empty bench. "Coming all the way over to the train station without any idea of knowing whether or not Rei would be here. Ran was just jumping to conclusions like she always does and I was a fool to get caught up in her excitement." Aya's slumped head continued to give its muttered monologue to the empty seat beside her as tears slowly started to blur her vision. "'If he's not there, call him.' she said, but what am I supposed to say when he answers? 'Hey Otohata, you weren't in Shibuya like I guessed you might be, so you'd better get over here right now and apologize!' That would be perfect, if I was Ran, but I'm not even close to being like her." 

"Well, in my opinion that's a good thing, but you should stop talking to yourself. It's not healthy, and it might give some people the impression that you're a little crazy."

Aya's bobbed head snapped up and turned to the sound of the voice she had been hoping to hear all day, "Otohata! Why are you here, and how long have you been there!"

The guy currently sitting on the seat next to her crossed his legs and leaned backwards into the bench to get more comfortable as he replied, "I came and took a seat right about when you were talking about getting caught up in some excitement. And if I heard right, I'm don't need to apologize since I'm currently in Shibuya."

Aya's embarrassment at that moment knew no bounds as her eyes widened and finally overflowed with tears, "I'm so sorry Otohata! I didn't mean for you to hear that… I just…"

One look at Aya's face was enough for Rei, he just couldn't seem to stand seeing Aya tear up like that. "Don't cry. It's okay, I'm not mad."

Aya felt her face grow warm as she hiccupped and looked up into those two soft brown eyes. 'He may be able to hide his facial expressions, but his eyes could give away whatever emotions he tries to leave unnoticed' Aya thought as she sniffed and smiled weakly to herself.

"Gosh Rei, how many times are you going to make Aya cry? Even if I take my eyes off of you for just a moment, you're off somewhere making her cry. You're failing as a man, buddy." Yuuya laughed as he sauntered up behind the seated couple. "You should take some lessons from the master in manliness right here."

Rei rolled his eyes skyward. "Well, Yuuya, when you next see this master of yours, tell him he should really find another occupation, because whatever he is teaching you is really not working."

"Awww, how mean Rei. Your words struck me deep. I'm about to cry!" Yuuya grinned and placed his hands over his chest as he flopped melodramatically to ground.

"And that's about as manly as he gets." Rei wryly commented before he turned to Aya. "You can come with us for a while if you want, since you don't seem to be with Kotobuki at the moment. We just finished the photo shoot we were doing here a little while ago, so Yuuya and I were just going to hang out in Shibuya for a while."

"I would love to!" Aya smiled happily and wiped away the last of her tears. "So where are we headed?"

"Before we go, we have something extremely important to discuss." Yuuya had gotten up out of his 'death position' and was currently eyeing the two of them with an unusually serious expression.

"What is it Mr. Manly Man?"

Yuuya gave Rei a glare before continuing. "Before this, it was just me and Rei. Now Aya is currently in this group. So now, two has become three. Rei, we are no longer a duo! We are a trio now!" Rei's eyebrows were nearly above his hairline by this time and Aya just sat there with a blank look on her face, obviously completely lost on the subject. Looking at the reactions of his audience, Yuuya groaned and continued. "If you are a duo it's okay, because people can just say, "Oh, there goes Rei and Yuuya." but if three people are in a group it gets more complicated. You know, if people say, "Oh, there goes Rei, Yuuya, and Aya." it would start to sound like a list, it would be way too lengthy!"

"I think you hit your head a little too hard when you fell, Yuuya." Rei couldn't even fathom what was going through his friend's mind at the moment, not that he ever really could or wanted to for that matter.

"Rei you just don't get it!" Yuuya paused and took a deep breath. "We need a name!"

"A name?" You could nearly see the question marks surrounding Aya's head as she spoke. "Am I missing something here?"

"A name for people to call us, like… Hoshino and the Models! Or… The RAY, see R would stand for Rei, A for Aya, and Y for Yuuya, get it? Ray even sounds like Rei! Now doesn't 'There goes The RAY' sound so much cooler than 'There goes Rei, Aya, and Yuuya'?" he grinned triumphantly as he finally made his point. "What do you guys think?"

After a silence passed that could have lasted a lifetime and a week, Rei finally spoke. "Come on Aya, we should get you out of here before his insanity rubs off on you." Rei grabbed a still completely confused Aya's hand and made his way as quickly as he could without running through the crowd surrounding the station.

As soon as they were out of sight Yuuya couldn't help but burst out laughing. Holding his sides he crashed down onto the bench where his best friend had been sitting only moments before. "Now that has got to be the weirdest idea I've ever had to set those two up together!" he managed to add between bursts of laughter. A few minutes and a couple curious stares later he managed to get his breathing back under control. "Rei and Aya better become a real couple soon or I'll run out of crazy ideas to help them out." With that, he burst into an even louder fit of laughter only a moment later. "The RAY… my god… that would freak… anyone out…" by this time, tears were nearly rolling down his cheeks, he was laughing so hard. "Yuuya, my man… you really are… insane!"

* * *

"Really, Ran sweets, if this is a bad time just tell me to call back." 

"Monkey Boy…" the realization slowly dawned on a now extremely annoyed Ran Kotobuki.

"What's the matter, my Ran?"

"You… you…"

For a few moments there was a silence on the line that seemed heavier than life itself. All that could be heard was rapidly quickening breaths of Tatsuki as he grew more and more anxious with each passing moment. He knew his girlfriend wasn't exactly in the best of moods at the time, but if only he could have seen her somehow, he would have known to hang up his phone right then, and climb a tall tree with enough bananas to hide out up there for a couple weeks. Unfortunately for this Monkey Boy, it wasn't currently possible for him to see that his Ran was currently emitting flames from the her body as she seemed to try to send him a death glare through the cell phone that would have even stopped Rei Otohata in his tracks. Tatsuki just had to choose this time, at the peak of her anger, to attempt to restart this deadly conversation.

"Come now, Ran-pyon, if you don't tell me what's distressing you I can't use my monkey magic to make it better."

"You…"

"Yes?"

"You… FREAKIN IDIOT!" Ran's words shot poor Tatsukichi like an arrow, literally. The outraged yell flew through one ear, echoed throughout his now stunned brain and flew out the other ear before seemingly circling back to repeat the horrible process all over again. For those of you who don't know, having an arrow stab your brain is actually quite painful, and when the cycle is repeated multiple times, the pain gets rather intense. As luck would have it, the enraged Ran soon decided to continue her rant. "WHO THE HELL CALLS SOMEONE'S CELLPHONE FIVE MILLION TIMES! A NORMAL PERSON WOULD CALL ONCE, MAYBE EVEN TWICE IF THE OTHER PERSON DIDN'T PICK UP! WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH THAT MICROSCOPIC MONKEY SIZED BRAIN OF YOURS WHEN YOU DECIDED-"

"RAN! Ran-baby please have mercy!" by this time poor Tatsuki was huddled on the floor, holding his head which currently felt like a jackhammer was drilling it into dust with one hand, while the other hand was working on getting that cell phone as far from his ear as possible. "This unworthy Monkey Boy thought that you had possibly left your cell phone somewhere for a short while and went to do something that wouldn't take very long, like a little trip to the bath room. He was very wrong and has learned his lesson and will never repeat his horrible mistake again." He waited, silently pleading, hoping he had calmed her temper somewhat with his groveling.

From the receiver he heard Ran let out a long sigh and he knew the storm had passed. If you need to calm a Ran Kotobuki, all you have to do is bow down before her like an obedient slave, or offer her up some food if you happen to have some nearby. Since option number two was out of the question at the moment, he thought he did pretty well with his first choice. His small victory smirk came out a lot more like a grimace courtesy of his still throbbing head; nevertheless, his hand now cautiously brought the cell phone back to his ear.

"Yeah, well you better not, Sir Stalker Monkey, or else I would have to file a restraining order against you." Ran finally spoke in a much more calm tone. "But quit that third person talk, one Miyu is enough for me."

"As you wish, my wonderful Ran!" Tatsuki's relief was completely evident even through that cell phone.

"Now, did you call me just to get yelled at or is there actually a purpose to you bugging me at the moment?"

"Ran, you know I would only call you to bestow you with the most wonderful news. Your happiness is my happiness. Your sadness is my pain as well. We are bound by fate and with this inevitable binding came my eternal wish to always make you the happiest gal on Earth!"

His headache now gone, Tatsuki was able to return to his normal (well, normal for him…) self. Ran rolled her eyes in exaggerated exasperation at the overly dramatic speech her boyfriend had once again spouted for her, as an almost unnoticeable slight smile graced her lips.

"So, Shakespeare, are you going to let me know what this wonderful happiness is you're supposed to give me?"

"I, Tatsuki Kuroy, have just gotten paid and am currently in Shibuya to give the amazing Ran Kotobuki the greatest day of her life! I'm chilling with my good buddy Hachiko at the moment and am ready to run to wherever my Ran is!"

"PAID! Why didn't you say so in the first place Monkey Boy?" Ran's eyes lit up like a couple of mischievous fireflies. "You know the indoor mall to the right of Hachi, a couple streets over. Be there in five minutes and you are completely and absolutely forgiven! You're the best Tastukitchi! Now hurry it up, I'm waiting."

And with that the line went dead, leaving a now dashing Monkey Boy to swerve through the crowds to his destination. "So long Hachi, it's been fun! Wait for me my Ran! I'm coming!"

End of Chapter 2

* * *

Tadah! How did you all like this chapter? Even if it's just criticism, I would love to hear it. Sorry, but I haven't written enough of the next chapter to give a teaser paragraph, but I can give out a tiny tidbit. Tatsuki's little surprise will be covered in the next chapter, wink, wink. Look forward to it! 

So, until next time.


	3. When Dates Go Horribly Wrong

Once again I bring you yet another chapter of A Gal's Life! This is the first cliffie chapter, gasp! EveryNever laughs evilly.

Lastly, I want to thank the people who took the time to review this story. You guys rock!

Disclaimer: My near empty wallet couldn't buy the rights to a single hair on Ran's head.

And now, here's Chapter 3!

* * *

Chapter 3: When Dates Go Horribly Wrong… 

"Are you sure it's okay to leave him like that?" Aya looked back through the wall of pedestrians, trying to catch a glimpse of Second Place.

"Oh, I'm sure. It's best to steer clear of the idiot when he's at the height of his idiocy." Rei gripped Aya's hand slightly tighter to be sure they wouldn't be separated as he maneuvered through the crowds. "Hopefully by the time I get back to him, he'll have gotten rid of all that excess insanity or else I'll have to leave him stranded in Shibuya tonight."

"I don't know, maybe he had a point there. I mean Hoshino and the Models sounds pretty cute." Aya giggled.

"Don't make me ditch you too Miss Hoshino. Then I wouldn't have anyone to take out to dinner."

Aya couldn't help but ask herself, 'Is he taking me on a date?' but immediately shook the thoughts from her head. 'What am I thinking? I should feel grateful just to be having some food with Rei. Don't push your luck girl.' With that thought in mind she decided to continue their light banter, "Well if I was too much for you, you could always go and ask out Second Place." Aya giggled once again at the thought.

"You must think I'm suicidal." Rei gave her an eyebrow raise before looking once again through the sea of people. "Contrary to your belief I actually don't have a death wish at the moment and it seems we're nearly at our stop. It looks like I'm stuck with you whether I like it or not now Hoshino."

This wasn't like her at all. She couldn't help herself, she just had to say it. "Too bad, I think you and Second Place would have made a cute couple."

"Spare me." Rei shivered as he had a horrifying image of Yuuya in a pink dress and a frilly apron, running toward him with a ladle, calling out to him in a sweeter-than-syrup high-pitched voice. 'Rei sweets, your dinner is ready, let me hand feed it to you!' The dream Yuuya ended his appearance with a girlish giggle.

Nearly throwing up his breakfast, lunch and whatever else he had eaten in the past week, Rei used all his strength to push the way past disturbing thoughts he was being tortured by as far back into the recesses of his brain as possible. He gave one last involuntary shudder as he watched a now red faced Aya put a hand to her mouth in a pathetic attempt to stop the onslaught of laughter he knew would inevitably plague her.

* * *

"Not bad Monkey Boy. You made it here right on time." Ran grinned at a hyper Tatsukichi that had just sprinted up to her moments before. 

"Anything for you my Ran!" he held out as arms as wide as they would reach. "How about a hug of victory for your persevering boyfriend!"

"Not a chance." Ran walked right by his open arms and headed deeper into the depths of the shopper's paradise. "Come on Tatsukitchi! My stomach just hates to wait."

"Right behind you Ran." True to his word, he popped up inches away from her right shoulder and, with his own bouncy walk, fell in step with her earnest strides.

"Hmm." Ran glanced around, critically eyeing every restaurant in sight. It was one of the bigger indoor malls in Shibuya so there were a lot of places to choose from. This two-story mall was one of the most popular places to go to this summer because it had an air conditioning that worked better than perfectly. Despite the crowds, this place was always the perfect temperature and was full of cool refreshments like icy sodas and freezing ice cream. This mall went in one huge circle with one long walkway and shops on either side and above (or below if you were on the second floor) you. Near the entrance, there was one seemingly endless food court full of every type of restaurant you could imagine. Ran and Tatsuki were currently smack dab in the middle of this utopia of food.

"I think I'm in the mood for Mexican today." Ran nodded to herself, and with a determined glint in her eyes she headed straight for 'Vive Largo', all but dragging Tatsuki along with her.

"Cha, cha, cha!" Tatsuki shook his pretend maracas as he followed Ran into the world of Mexican dining.

"A table for two?" A very Hispanic looking waiter asked them in with a very heavy Spanish accent.

"You've a gotee eet." Tatsuki gave his attempt at a Spanish accent, failing miserably, and instead sounding surprising similar to a drunk Italian.

After giving the Monkey Boy a strange look, the waiter beckoned for the couple to follow. "Right this way please." He led them right through the middle of the restaurant, passing under the fluorescent lights that bathed the whole dining area in the colors of the Mexican flag. The carpet underneath matched the colors, with pictures of bulls and matadors running all across it. On the walls there were a couple of cheap looking pictures of burritos and Spanish houses that covered some of the chipping paint. Their waiter led them past all of the evening diners, barely any of them Mexican, to the very back of the restaurant. He sat them at a small dinky looking table with a picture of a very scantily dressed flamenco dancer, showing off much more than necessary. It was quite hard to find an authentic Spanish restaurant these days in Shibuya and it was easy to tell this wasn't one of them.

Not annoyed in the least with these little quirks, Ran flopped into her chair and immediately flipped open her menu to begin the lengthy decision making progress. Tatsuki followed suit after thanking the waiter, and now the two of them sat in one of those rare moments of silence they shared. Like glass at a drinking party or anything edible within a mile radius of Ran Kotobuki, this quiet time didn't last for long.

"Ah… this is going to be a great dinner." Ran gave a sigh of contentment as she flapped her menu down near the cracked edge of the table, her decision in mind.

"So I'm to be forgiven then, right, right, right?" Tatsuki looked at her over his menu in earnest.

"For what?"

'She's already forgotten.' he laughed to himself. 'Her short attention span was a good thing for me this time.' "Don't worry your pretty head over it, it was nothing important Ran baby."

"Whatever you say Monkey Boy." She replied absentmindedly while twirling her plastic fork between two fingers with finesse only a slacker could ever really hope to have. Suddenly in mid twirl, a movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. Slapping the fork onto the table with a bang she shot up waving her arms. "Hey José! Get over here dude, we're ready to order." She screamed across the restaurant to the poor waiter that had seated them only minutes before.

With a startled jump that had him closely resembling a flighty deer, the waiter (who we'll just call José now for Ran's sake) sped toward them as if all hell was at his heels. It was easy to tell José here had never really experienced the wrath of many customers like our Ran. Within seconds, she had him shaking in his little, semi-authentic Mexican boots and scribbling down her order as fast as his fingers would let him. After he had written down about three fourths of the available courses in this restaurant, she finally closed her menu and slid it towards a now very skittish José. He gave the two teens a nervous smile, before darting away to put in their order.

"Ah, what a futuristic society Shibuya is!" Tatsuki smiled happily at Ran.

"What's so futuristic about this dorky place?"

"It's not about the place Ran-pyon." Tatsukitchi gave his favorite Gal a wink, like he was going to share some great secret with her, before continuing. "It's about the people and how they do things girl! I mean come on! What lady would have ordered for a man at any restaurant twenty years ago? The women are taking over as the dominant species! Soon men will be completely useless. In twenty more years, you women will be making us men fan you with pigeon feathers for our entire lives!"

And then, there was quiet. For a few moments, Ran just stared silently at the Monkey Boy across from her before speaking. "First off, I'm not a lady, I'm a Gal, remember?" And finally, she broke out into a grin. "Secondly, I think you mean a peacock feather, not a pigeon feather. Those are a bit small to be any good for fanning. And lastly, anyone could have ordered for anyone in front of that José. If I had asked the dude, he would have licked the nail polish off my toes. Man, I would love to see that guy in a haunted house." Ran laughed as she imagined a horrified José running from a three year old kid with a cat mask on.

"Oh, so the waiter's name is José is it?"

"Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"Dunno."

"But you called him…" Tatsuki trailed off, giving up. "Okay, I believe a change of subject is in order!"

"Be my guest." Ran's hand had found her fork again, so her focus was currently nowhere near the current topic.

"You remember when I was talking about the gifts para para and love had given me, right Ran sweets?" Tatsukichi asked with an unusually determined glint in his eyes.

"Mm hm."

"Ran?"

"Mm hm."

"Yeah, I just realized that this restaurant won't be any good to us, because all of the food has suddenly vanished off the face of the Earth. No one will be able to eat a single morsel of anything ever again, right Ran?"

"Mm hm."

"You really aren't listening to a thing I have said, have you Ran pyon?"

"Mm hm."

By this time, Tatsuki knew she was long gone, somewhere galaxies away in 'Ran World'. It seemed like the 'real world' didn't want Ran to know his little secret. Well, it was actually a pretty big secret, and even he didn't exactly want to be the one to break the news. Then again, who else could? It wasn't that he wasn't excited about what was happening. On the contrary, he could barely contain his excitement. It had been what he had always wished for, one of his greatest dreams nearing reality. The only thing he wasn't sure of was the reaction he would get from the gal sitting across from him when he told her the news. He could usually tell how Ran would react in any situation, for they had been together for nearly an entire year. His life revolved around her ups and downs at the moment. Still, he had absolutely no idea whether she would greet this with one of her blindingly brilliant smiles, a charmingly supportive laugh, or, in the worst case scenario, a disappointed frown that would give way to a punch, kick, scream, or all three. He was hoping with every fiber of his being that her choice wouldn't be the later, yet he had absolutely no way to tell.

Instead of waiting until the anxiety ate him alive from the inside, Tatsuki cleared his throat to try once again to get the news through to his girlfriend. Before the first words were even past his lips, José decided to make his reappearance. With an entourage of five other Hispanic waiters, each carrying a tray pilled high with many pathetic attempts at renditions of Mexican cuisine, José surged forward with his composure once again intact. He and his followers surrounded the table and proceeded to bombard it with plates and bowls of all sizes and shapes. When the whole surface was completely filled, and the trays finally empty, José gave them a curt nod, before returning to the service of his much-preferred regulars.

"As the Spanish say, Bon Appetite!" Tatsuki gave another attempt at Spanish lingo as he prepared his silverware and napkin for battle, knowing very well conversation at this point was virtually impossible.

"Is that so." Her eyes gleaming, Ran licked her lips as the Cheshire cat grin once again made itself known upon her mouth.

The air suddenly grew very heavy, unusually stifling. Conversations at the table right next to the two famished teens slowly died down. The tables nearby picked up the mood and gave in to silence as well. Soon, the whole room was anxious, waiting. Most diners didn't even know what they were waiting for, but even a mentally impaired caterpillar could have guessed something big was about to happen very soon, something very big. The soft hum of the air conditioner and stifled breaths were the only instruments that serenaded this now freakish quiet. Only two beings in the restaurant weren't affected by this atmosphere. These two were the perpetrators of this circumstance and would be the only ones who could put an end to it.

And that they did. With a vengeance…

"Haiiii yah!" with a ferocious battle cry, Ran lunged for the pile of tacos with her fork and successfully stabbed half the stack, while gathering up the largest pile of rice and chicken she could with her spoon.

As the rest of the tables watched in complete awe at the kogal stuffing about five tacos filled to the brim with rice and chicken down her throat, Tatsuki busied himself with regaining his sense of calm, which he had work so hard to build during this dinner. "José must have stolen it." He muttered bitterly to himself. It was hard not to get frustrated and give up on telling her altogether, even though he knew that would be much worse in the long run for both of them. No matter how long it took, he knew he needed to let her know tonight. Gritting his teeth, he strengthened his resolve. He wouldn't let this get to him, for he was with his very own Ran pyon! Nothing could get him down for long if she was anywhere nearby, even if she was part of the problem. 'As my uncle's cousin used to say: Qué sera sera. Whatever will be, will be.' Tatsuki smiled at the memory of his uncle's cousin repeating that line over and over, his beer belly shaking with each syllable. That was the only thing Tatsuki could ever really remember him saying, strange as that was.

With that, he shook off his journey down memory lane and focused back in on the present. Fork in hand, he reached for the closest morsel to his plate. He found none. Every one of the eleven platters presently on the table were spotless, without even a single hint that there had been food there seconds before. His gaze traveled further down the now empty table to linger on his current companion. Ran was lounging back in her chair with a stomach now quite resembling that of his uncle's cousin.

Patting the inflated area, Ran sighed a sigh of utter content. "Now that is what you call a great un-Mexican Mexican meal!"

"I'm glad _you _liked it my Ran, but couldn't you have just left a single bite for your one and only monkey boy? Do I have to do my sad dance to make you feel at all guilty?" He grinned, teasing.

"The food was just too good to pass up Tatsukichi. What's done is done, no use whining over it." She laughed as her unbeatable stomach shrunk back to its normal size. "All we have to wait for is the check that slow-mo José still hasn't given us yet! I wouldn't be surprised if the dude was a snail in disguise."

"Maybe it's a good thing that we have to wait for a little while." Tatsuki's tone had gone from light fun to dead serious in milliseconds.

"Give me one good reason why sitting in these chairs with nothing to stare at but a picture of a slutty looking dancer chick is such a wonderful idea and I'll kiss you on the lips right here and now."

That one knocked the breath right out of him. Tatsuki knew she said that because she believed there was no way he would find a good enough excuse to make her go through with it. Even so, the thought of the two of them kissing coming from her lips was almost enough to completely throw his brain off track. Almost enough. He had something much more important to do right now than to indulge his mind with 'Ran Fantasies'.

He shakily cleared his throat once, then dived in. "We need to talk."

"That doesn't sound good." He had her full attention now. "What's up Monkey Boy?"

"I'm going to bring up the gifts of para para and love for the last time tonight, okay Ran sweets?"

"Oh yeah, where I was the gift of love or something like that and the gift of para para was….. you never got to that did you?" Ran had caught his serous tone and was looking rather unusually serious herself now.

"That's what I'm going to tell you." Tatsuki had grabbed the table and was now squeezing the thing half to death. "Well, this is a bit of a long story, better make yourself comfortable Ran pyon." She didn't move an inch. "A couple months ago, I heard a rumor about a certain contest happening around here. It had to do with dance, so of course I went to check it out. They called it the "Let's Dance Sweepstakes". All you had to do was send in a video of yourself doing your coolest moves to the address they gave and see if you were picked. If they choose you, you get to miss school to compete in some sort of amazing dance competition. I don't know much of the details about it yet. All I know is that I sent in a video of the best para para ever para paraed on the face of this Earth, performed by me of course, and they chose me Ran! I'm going to be a famous para para dance master!" He couldn't help but grin from ear to ear.

Ran sat stunned, but for only a few moments before a great smile broke across her face. "That is uber amazing Monkey Boy! Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"There's still more." He grew solemn again.

"What can be greater than that?"

"Well, this news isn't exactly my favorite part of my little story here, my Ran." Tatsuki sighed. "In order to be in this competition I have to miss school and travel to where the competition is being held."

"Miss school? What's not awesome about that? Where do you get to vacation to Monkey Boy?"

"Ran."

"What Tatsukichi? Stop holding out on me like this, you know I hate suspense!"

He knew he needed to say it, he had to. "In a week I'll be going to New York in America. I'll have to stay there as long as I keep winning in the contest. It could be for a few weeks, or it could be for a few years."

While he told her what he had been dreading to say all evening, all Tatsuki could do was stare at the empty plates on the table. He couldn't bring himself to look up into that more beautiful than beautiful face Ran has and see which of the three expressions it would be carrying. Moments turned into seconds, which soon turned into minutes. When she didn't say a word, he knew he had to look up. When he finally did, he saw nothing near anything he had expected and had tried to prepare himself for. Tatsuki had absolutely no idea whether this face looking back at him was better for him than he had even dared hope or worse than he ever could have dreamed.

* * *

And here it ends! I'll try and update in a few weeks. In Chapter 4 we'll find out how Ran deals with Monkey Boy and his surprise, and how Aya and Rei deal with ravenous deal hunters! 


	4. A First 'First Kiss' Part One

Guess who's back? Yep, it's EveryNever again with the next Gal's Life chappie! Just a warning to you guys though, I think I kinda made a few characters a little OOC in this chapter. Hey… what are you all looking at me like that for? Why would it have anything to do with me? I'm innocent I tell you! Innocent! … EveryNever dashes away and hides behind the disclaimer…

Disclaimer: If you think EveryNever believes she owns any part of Gals! or anything to do with them that aren't her original ideas in the first place, you should have a long, hard chat with the nearest pineapple or replica of one that you can find. What will that do, you ask? Go try it and find out! I guarantee that the people who see you performing this pineapple purifying ritual will look at you in a whole new light! … Hey… what was I supposed to be talking about again?  
The Disclaimer blames EveryNever for its lost train of thought and shoves her away, giving EveryNever a booboo. EveryNever rubs her booboo and sighs. "Not even my disclaimer will put up with me anymore…"

* * *

Chapter 4: The First 'First Kiss' Part One 

Key:

""- speech/dialogue

''- thoughts or an exaggerated phrase/word

* * *

There was nothing, absolutely nothing. It was completely and utterly empty, devoid of any emotion whatsoever. Expressionless. Ran's face was expressionless. There was no anger, happiness or even a single spark of mischief in those usually glittering eyes. She just sat there, staring right back at the guilty guy across from her with unrelenting abandon. 

Nothing was said, but there were nearly a million things Tatsuki was trying to convey without speaking to the seemingly stunned Ran. He tried to will his face, his expression, his eyes, to show how much he cared for her, how much it would hurt him to leave her. Straining with all his might not to blink, he struggled to try to let her see that he was willing to do whatever it took to make a long distance relationship with her work, no matter the cost. He wished with all his might that she could understand that this was something he had to do, follow his dreams without looking back, or he couldn't consider even himself worthy enough to ever smile back at her. Tatsuki could only hope that this Ran Kotobuki would understand, and in turn, be understanding.

"Tatsuki."

'She called me by my real name!' Monkey Boy didn't know whether to be pleasantly surprised or insanely frightened. "Yeah?"

"Congratulations."

She said the word with such finality. Tatsuki knew she was honestly happy for him. These were the times he knew he had the most amazing girlfriend on Earth.

"Ran, you don't know how much that means to me." He voice trembled with emotion as he spoke.

"Yes I do. I can see it in your face. Shibuya's number one kogal hasn't gone blind yet, Monkey Boy." She gave him a shaky laugh. "I have to go now though. I haven't even started a single part of my summer homework and I have to get on that." Ran stood up as quickly as the bulky chair would permit and made her way to the front of the restaurant.

"Ra-" the words died on his lips as Ran once again turned to face him.

With a smile as bright as any he had ever seen, she gave him a slight wave. "I'll trust you to pay the bill Tatsukichi. If you don't do that right, you'd better be ready to face the wrath of Ran Kotobuki!" And with that, she whipped around and ran faster than he'd ever seen her run before, just barely avoiding a platter of tacos that were unfortunate enough to be in her line of fire.

Tatsuki knew he couldn't chase after her, just the look on her face told him that. Never before had she looked so unstable to him, so easy to break, so…. fragile. The thought scared him. The thought that he was the cause of this horrified him even more. He had forced Ran to use _homework_ as an excuse to get away from him. Ran Kotobuki, the girl that fails a test every other day and worries about it no more than two milliseconds a week, would rather pretend to study than face him at the moment.

This was enough to make him feel sick to his stomach. There wasn't any other time in his life that he had wanted to crawl into a corner and make whimpering monkey sounds more than he did right now. Unfortunately, that wasn't something he could do at the moment. He had a bill to pay and he had to pay it right. Those were the last orders he had gotten from _the_ Ran Kotobuki, and he was definitely going through with them, no matter what.

* * *

"Now this is something that should be handed out in the pits of hell." Rei glared at the substance in his hand, trying to blast it to bits with his icy gaze. "Demons could serve this with a side of moldy, year old straw and have _the _perfect meal." 

"I don't think it's so bad Otohata," Aya gave him a sympathetic smile. "You have to take a couple bites to get used to the taste, but after that it really isn't horrible."

"Sushi is something people get accustomed to, but this… I don't know how you can stand this." Rei thought he would never find something that would nauseate him more than that image of 'Girl Yuuya', but surprisingly enough, just about an hour later, he found a winner.

The start of the horrible chain of events, that led up to this monstrosity that now innocently rests in his palm must have begun decades ago.

_About a half hour earlier..._

"This is insane."

"Well, it does seem pretty unusual…"

"Yes Hoshino, this is what I like to call madness."

After minutes of pushing through the crowds, Rei had finally found the restaurant he had been looking for. This was about as far as he and Aya was going to get though. Surrounding the building were what looked like hundreds of people screaming, yelling, and attempting to push their own way to the entrance. Above all the commotion hung a huge banner that must have been the cause of all the excitement. In bolded letters it read: '**_Shibuya's Fine Cuisine _20th anniversary celebration! For tonight only, all diners will receive their meal half price in celebration of our twenty years of service! Thank you for your support!'**

"There are always other places to eat around here." Aya hiked up her middle-of-the-shin length skirt and dove out of the way as a stampede of hungry locals swarmed into the fray, nearly running her over in the process.

"Then, why don't we find a place where our lives won't constantly be in danger?" Rei sighed and headed over to the bench Aya was currently hiding behind.

As he made his way over, Rei ended up on collision courses with several stampeding masses. He gave each of them one of his infamous stares that froze them in their tracks faster than a trigger-happy man wielding a machine gun ever could and reached the bench without incident.

Aya smiled at Rei from her hiding place. "You know, I think I've figured out the perfect job for you. When you graduate Otohata, you could work as a bodyguard. If anyone tried to attack your client, all you would need to do is glance at the criminal and he would willingly surrender."

"No can do Hoshino. When I graduate, I'm going to get a job where all I have to do is twiddle my thumbs while one of my underlings does my work for me. Glaring would be too much work for a guy like me." The corners of his mouth twitched up, slightly resembling a smirk; as he reached down to help her up.

Before even their fingertips touched, a shrill scream rose above all the yelling. "LOOK! LOOK! EVERYONE, THERE'S REI OTOHATA!"

"Why me, why now?" Rei, in his last couple seconds of freedom, turned his eyes to the mockingly calm sky before nearly all the girls who happened to be within a two-mile radius of the yell surrounded him.

Aya was thrown out of the way, right –as luck would have it-near the entrance to _Shibuya's Fine Cuisine._ Soon she was swept away by the crowds, through the entrance of the restaurant.

Her single cry of, "Otohata!" was lost within the hundreds of other voices. Shoved and jostled by a people possessed with the elusive promise of quality at a low price, Aya found she could only stagger along in the direction of the flow (or should I say flood…). Assailed not only with impatient elbows to the side and kicks to the leg, but also with the enticing scents of exotic dishes nearby that ambushed her nose and preyed upon her sense of smell. Now that she had gotten a whiff of what this restaurant could supply her stomach reminded her, in the form of a furious growl, that she was almost famished enough to want to eat portions that _Ran_ normally would!

While scores of relentless diners were trampling Aya, Rei wasn't faring much better. Surrounded by a sea of females (and even a few males), ranging from seven years old to seventy, he was bombarded with presents, admiration and requests for everything from autographs to certain pleas for things far less decent.

Nearly suffocating from all this unwonted attention, Rei knew he had to do something and do it fast. The waves of psychotic fan girls were closing in. Like a pack of crafty wolves, they circled eagerly, drawing ever nearer to their prey. He gave the crowd a glare meant to send them flying, but all it did was make a couple of them shriek in delight and others quickly snapped pictures of his perturbed expression.

When one of the more audacious fans decided to actually pluck a couple hairs right out of his head, Rei reached his breaking point. To put it simply, Mr. #1 Model had snapped. Slowly, blocking out the sounds of the crowd for a few precious moments, he lowered his head and took a long deep breath.

All of a sudden, Rei brought his head back up with a model's expertise and gave his perpetrators a smile that blinded every single one of them into an awed silence. As a sparkling background appeared behind him, he laughed a soft laugh. The kind of charming chuckle that gives the listener a feeling that the chuckler is one of those who would listen to any well-meant joke and laugh at every punch line. By this time, Rei had his fans entranced with his every move, each one of them was a puppet only he could control.

With another heavenly grin he addressed his awaiting audience. "Did you know…"

Holding their breaths, the crowd hung on each articulated word that came from his smirking mouth.

"… that in the Shibuya Train Station Yuuya Asou is doing a scene for a commercial." he gave his fans one last dramatic gaze as he finished. "Did I mention he'd be shirtless?"

Rei's last word was the magic word. The spell he had over his admirers was broken. With excited screams, the mob dashed over to the direction of the train station with the speed of world-class sprinters. In seconds, Rei was alone and thankful to be breathing fresh air again. Sighing, he sank down onto the bench Aya had hid behind only a little while before.

Gazing off towards where the rabid fans had disappeared, Rei gave an involuntary flinch, "I'm sorry Yuuya." After a couple more seconds of staring out into the distance he spoke again. "Actually, I'm really not. Better you than me, man."

* * *

The photo shoot had ended an hour ago, Rei and Aya were who knows where and _only_ Rei had the keys to the motorcycle- their way to get anywhere in this city. Yuuya was completely and absolutely stuck. He slouched ever further in his seat, idly watching the people strolling along. Whenever a couple meandered by, hands interlaced and gazes lovingly locked, he seemed to sink just a little lower into his wooden companion. His watch read 5:00, about a half an hour since his abandonment, and he had now slipped so low that only his upper back and head still took residence upon the solitary bench. 

He groaned and turned his gaze skyward. "Awww man. I never thought Shibuya could be this boring! I wouldn't even care now if Monkey Boy showed up if he'd give me some entertainment." Yuuya gagged at the thought. "I think I've just hit rock bottom…" He sighed as the rest of him slid off the bench and plopped onto the concrete below, "…physically _and_ mentally."

And there he lay for only a few moments before _it _came. His whole body shot upward, alert and tensing as it began.

He shuddered.

Not just any shudder… _**The Shudder**._

As if a malevolent spirit had hold on the innermost workings of his back, his whole spine shook with a vengeance and tremors rapidly convulsed throughout his body. Goosebumps took residence upon his arms and legs as he felt his skin grow colder than ice.

It was over in mere seconds. His bones were once again his to control and seemingly no one had noticed his miniscule spasm. Even so, it had happened and Yuuya knew what would inevitably come after. This shudder was not an illness; it was more like his sixth sense. It came from being best buds with Rei Otohata. After hanging out with him for a while, it just… appeared. Always, right before Rei (whom we all know isn't exactly the nicest guy out there) was about cause something 'unfortunate' to happen to Yuuya, he would feel this shudder.

The first time it happened was in third grade. Their teacher had decided to make them play 'trust games.' In this certain game, kids partnered up and one fell backward while the other caught the faller before he hit the ground. It was Yuuya's turn to fall and Rei's turn to catch. Right before he tipped backwards, Yuuya had shuddered that unique shiver and a few seconds after, his head connected with pavement. Two days later he had woken up in the hospital and found out he had suffered a concussion from minor head trauma. Yuuya knew why Rei had decided not to catch him; why he had done the deed. At lunch the day before, Yuuya had refused to share some of his candy with him and this was Rei's revenge. 'Innocent Little Rei' wasn't blamed for a thing though. He showed the teacher his angelic, eight year old, gap toothed smile and was forgiven on the spot.

However, when Rei got older, he became less violent in revenge and ever more crafty. When Yuuya did something to tick off him now, Rei would 'forget' to pick him up after a magazine interview in the middle of nowhere or 'mistakenly' give him notes for the wrong test before his midterm. They were small little accidents that could happen to anyone and no one could ever really hope to see the sly vengeance behind the innocent tirade unless they were a person who really knew Rei or had developed **_The Shudder_**. Yuuya was unfortunately one of the people who had both of these traits. He would feel _**The Shudder** _every time. Like a solemn messenger of foreboding doom, it came without fail.

So now, standing alone except for an inanimate park bench for company, all he could do was wait for what would come. Like the calm before the storm, everything was silent. The rustle of the grass was no more than a muted whistle and the chatter of the people and animals nearby seemed to have quieted to monosyllabic whispers.

Nervously, Yuuya started to pace. In his mind he ran over the events of the last couple weeks, wondering what he could have done that would have warranted Rei's revenge. There was no way he could have known not revenge, but self-preservation was Rei's motive on inducing **_The Shudder_**.

Yuuya's anxious mind had only a few moments of deliberation before the inevitable repercussion of **_The Shudder_** decided to make its appearance. The ground almost seemed to quake under its might as it arrived in a flurry of screams and camera flashes. Yuuya only managed one surprised yelp before his bombarded with the might of hundreds of enamored fans.

_Oh the joys of being a model…_

* * *

Now as Yuuya gets mauled we can begin our Q&A session! Just ignore the anguished screams in the backround…. 

Question: 'Hey! I read the whole chapter and there was no kiss in it! The title is lying to me! It says The First 'First Kiss'! Is there some hidden meaning behind those words or did I just miss something? Am I really just an ignorant fool who wanders through life never seeing the things that truly matter? Am I doomed to see titles, but never ever see what they _truly_ mean! '

EveryNever's Answer: There's no hidden meaning in this title. A kiss shall come! Stay tuned for The First 'First Kiss' Part Two and you will come to realize that you are never doomed if EveryNever has something to say about it!

Everynever turns on her super powers and with a cheesy heroic laugh, she goes out to save the world... one title at a time!


	5. A First 'First Kiss' Part Two

Once again, it's EveryNever with the newest chapter!

I was so surprised by all the great feedback I got for the last segment; it made my day! You reviewers and all the people who took the time to read and enjoy this story even if you didn't review really inspired me to write!

EveryNever does her victory dance.

Disclaimer: Just ignore the idiot author and her geeky dance moves. We all know the reason that more people reviewed the last chapter was because I got a personality and put her in her place!

EveryNever: Not true! I'm just so lovable, see?

EveryNever shows the readers her cutesy face.

Disclaimer: You may act cute but we all know you are truly an evil demoness! Soon, I will gather all my other disclaimer friends and put an end to your tyranny. Soon, not these overbearing authors, but the Disclaimers shall rule the world of fanfiction! You just wait and-

Bam!

EveryNever hides the metal bat behind her back and once again shows her faithful readers her cutesy smile.

Well… since my Disclaimer is currently… errr…. taking a nap at the moment, I guess I'll have to do the disclaimer myself. Here goes my best shot! Wish me luck everyone!

EveryNever takes a deep breath and…. EVERYNEVER DOES NOT OWN GALS!

EveryNever collapses and gasps for breath. Man! That was even harder than EveryNever could have ever imagined!

Well, that's a problem for another day. Procrastination is a favorite habit of mine. Since I'm putting off coming up with an idea to hire a better disclaimer I may as well give you all another segment of A Gal's Life! The chappie will be one of the main Aya/Rei parts in this fic with a little bit of Yuuya torture! Also, at the end of this chapter you'll find review replies!

I hope you all enjoy! Now scroll down before Disclaimer wakes up!

* * *

Chapter 5: A First 'First Kiss' Part Two 

Key:

""- speech/dialogue

''- exaggerated phrase/word

_italics_-thoughts or an exaggerated phrase/word

* * *

A blustery breeze whipped through the streets, buffeting Rei with blasts of cold air that signaled the fall of night in this ever-bustling city. With an exhausted sigh, he ran his hand through his windblown hair, getting rid of the few snarls and tangles that had accumulated over this crazy day before letting his aching arm once again fall into disuse by his side. 

"I'm getting too old for this." The seventeen year old bitterly muttered to himself. "How many years will it be until I can retire? Oh that's right, about forty or fifty years to go! You're in the home stretch, Rei old buddy."

As he let out another exasperated breath, he noticed a familiar figure walking, well, staggering towards him from the mob scene at the restaurant.

"Aya, so there you are."

Rei watched as the disconcerted girl stumbled toward him, barely managing to keep upright. Her aquamarine skirt and navy blue top were wrinkled and stained in various places and hung limply against her as she strode unsteadily toward her target. Disheveled and dirtied, her hair was in worse shape than the rest of her, if that was even possible. Half of her lengthy locks hung limp, damp with the humidity that had overtaken the restaurant because of hundreds of sweating bodies in such a tight, cramped space. The other half nearly stood up straight, completely frizzy and untamed, once again because of the masses of bodies she had been in contact with just a short while ago. The only thing that held that wild mass of black hair in place, was the purple bandana she luckily managed to keep on her head.

Well, to make a long story short, Rei knew he had seen her look a little better…

"Guess what… I… just… discovered." Aya barely managed to gasp out a sentence as she finally arrived, weak-kneed and dead tired, in front of where Rei was sitting.

"I have absolutely no idea… But before you tell me, I think you'd better take a seat before you flop over and die on me." Rei softly patted the vacant space next to him.

Her cheeks tinged slightly red, she nodded and smiled slightly before collapsing into the seat with a relieved sigh. Before speaking again, she took a few moments to catch her breath and let herself lean completely into the bench, giving in to its rough support.

"Well, I found out that Shibuya's Fine Cuisine is booked for the night."

"Who would have ever thought that now?" Rei just couldn't seem to get rid of his sarcasm bug. "Considering that probably more than half of Shibuya's present population is most likely demanding a table there, they should have had no problem fitting in a couple thousand more!"

"Right!" Aya couldn't help but laugh. "They must just be having an off night."

"After twenty years they are finally losing their edge. This must be quite a bittersweet birthday for them." Rei's mood was beginning to improve, making fun of someone or something always did that to him. Thinking of how utterly miserable someone else's life could be could make his seem that much better. "Who knows if they'll survive to see another one?"

"I'll come back here next year just to find out. That's a promise." Suddenly serious again, Aya leaned forward, letting the cool night air carry the heat off her body as she gazed over to the festive lights of the crowded restaurant. "Why don't you come too Otohata? You could see whether or not your prediction of doom came true."

"I don't see why not." Rei nodded ever so slightly. "If I'm not a wanted criminal or a corrupt world leader by then, you can count on me to be there too. It'll make my day to see the 'For Sale' sign in front."

Aya smiled and giggled softly in response. After a few moments of silence, Rei stood up and stretched.

"You're hungry aren't you?" He had noticed the soft rumblings of her stomach that she had tried to hide with yawns and coughs. "Let's find something to eat."

"Well, only if you're hungry…"

"Let's start looking then," Rei swiped Aya's hand for the second time that evening and led her away from the mob scene surrounding _Shibuya's Fine Cuisine_.

The next time Aya looked back, the overcrowded restaurant was only a single pulsating star in the distance. One of the many lights that lit up Shibuya like a beacon in the darkness of night.

* * *

"S-s-s-so f-freezing!" Yuuya blew into his near frozen hands and rubbed them quickly together before looking down again at the commotion. "Rei! What did I do to deserve this!" 

Night had fallen quite a long time ago and the temperature was dropping by the second. Normally, Yuuya could deal with cold like it was nothing. Shirts and shorts were nearly his whole wardrobe. This day, unfortunately, was quite different for the shivering model.

Now, he only had half a shirt to go with his ripped shorts that didn't quite keep the low temperatures from reaching his skin. On top of that, he was stuck on top of one of the tallest trees around, which meant absolutely no shelter from the wind (not to mention, dealing with tall places isn't exactly his strong point).

Why only _half_ a shirt? Why a tree? Rei, that's why!

That _friend _of his just decided to send him a screaming mob out of the kindness of his heart! Yuuya was used to being surrounded by fans, so it would have been fine if the group that had rushed him wasn't ten times larger than anything he had ever had to deal with in his life! They were all chanting, "Shirtless! Shirtless! Shirtless!" like some type of mantra, which would have been fine if some of them hadn't actually tried to rip his shirt off (which they were half successful with)!

In an act of desperation, he had turned to the guidance of Monkey Boy (yes, he was that desperate) and climbed a tree. Sprinting with all he had, he attached himself to the nearest trunk in his reach and sidled up it with the speed of light. By the time he had reached the leaves and branches of his escape, the crowd had already gathered around him. Some were even beginning to attempt to climb up after him.

While his crazed admirers were creeping ever closer Yuuya could only wonder what was Rei thinking! He must be trying to kill him for something. For what reason, he may never know.

"Come down and appreciate your fans Asou-kun!" giggled a teenaged blond, as she winked suggestively and grabbed his leg.

"I'd rather not at the moment!" a pale faced Yuuya tried to shake his leg free as the fans slinked ever closer. He sighed softly to himself, "Well, at least it can't get worse than this."

TWEEET! A loud whistle sounded over the screams and commotion as a new group rushed to the scene… a quite different group.

"This is the Shibuya Police!" an officer shouted his warning through a megaphone while his comrades surrounded the suddenly silent mob. "Stop what you are doing immediately! You will all be taken into custody under charges of disturbing the peace! Every one of you will come with us to be questioned! Now I will tell you all your rights…"

Yuuya hit his head soundly against the tree and silently sobbed, "I spoke too soon… way too soon… stupid Yuuya… stupid, stupid Yuuya."

* * *

"Is it just me? Or do you too think that this doesn't exactly look promising," All Rei could seem to do was sigh. 

"Well, since every place we looked seemed all booked, maybe some place all the way out here might give us better luck," With waning enthusiasm, Aya tried to cheer Rei up as best she could.

"If there was a diner all the way out here, I find it very likely that it would've gone out of business years ago…"

Slowly, Rei and Aya made their way further along the path. They had taken random streets in hopes of finding some sort of restaurant, but instead the two of them had ended up in some park in the middle of nowhere. Trees and shrubs grew dangerously close to the pathway, threatening to overtake the concrete road and return to nature what was originally nature to begin with. The only things that allowed the couple to locate and step over the stray branches and cracks in the walkway in the dark were the streetlights that were scattered sparsely through the territorial foliage.

"Well, at least it can't get worse than this," Rei broke the silence that had fallen over the two with his own sort of wry optimism.

"That is true."

Aya smiled at Rei's back and quickened her pace to catch up with him. In doing so, she forgot to watch where she was going and got her foot caught on a small root. With a tiny gasp of surprise she tumbled forward into Rei, causing them both to plummet to the rock hard ground.

"Oh Otohata!" Aya scrambled off him as fast as she could, spurting apologies for her clumsiness. "I'm so sorry! I forgot to watch out for those cracks in the road. I'm just so clumsy!"

"Don't beat yourself up over it," replied Rei as he promptly recovered himself and neatly brushed off the specks of dirt on his clothes. "I'm perfectly fine."

"Oh no! You're bleeding," Aya rushed over to Rei's side and inspected his arm. "That doesn't look like fine! It's a pretty big gash!"

Slowly, Aya ran her eyes over the long, yet thankfully shallow, cut that started near his elbow and ended about halfway up his upper arm. Blood was already quickly leaking out of the wound, dyeing his lower arm a deep red. Horrified, she grimaced in sympathy and guilt.

"Really, I'm fine. I may not be masochistic, but I can deal with a little scratch," Rei stole his arm back and started off down the path again, not willing to admit he was the least bit touched by her concern.

"Wait!" Aya called out and ran once again to catch up with him, luckily not tripping this time.

"What?" Rei reluctantly turned around to face the remorseful teen.

In one swift motion, she whipped her purple bandana out of her hair and quickly tied it over the worst part of his wound.

Softly blushing on account of her sudden forwardness she commented softly, "That should probably stop the bleeding. It's the least I can do."

"This seems like a very high quality material, and you're willing to get blood on it. What a silly girl you are."

Despite the fact he was halfheartedly scolding her, an appreciative smile snuck onto the corners of his lips. Aya quickly found it and forgot her hunger pains in an instant.

* * *

"I've still got a lot of work to do Miyu! You should really go!" 

"No, no, no! Miyu wants to stay with Yamato in the Magical Police Box of Love!" Miyu whimpered and stuck out her lower lip in an outright pout.

"Now, don't do that pouty face with me!" Yamato pleaded and closed his eyes in an attempt to shield himself from that trembling lip and the enormous amount of persuasion it held over him.

"Please? Pretty please?" Miyu attempted to push her lip out further while she begged.

"It's too dangerous this late at night, you know that!" scolded the officer with crumbling resolve. He knew he had to think of something to get her home safely and fast, or else he would be the one to lose this argument. "How about if I get some time off from work and take you to this movies later this week, and you go straight home right now so you'll be safe."

"Really! A movie! Wow! Miyu is so happy! A lovely dovey date with Yamato!" Miyu squealed in delight and quickly picked up her things. "I'll head safely home right away Mr. Police Officer," she giggled through her attempts at mock sternness and dashed off into the night.

* * *

Rei and Aya found themselves quickly approaching the end of the road. Stopping abruptly a couple feet in front of them, their rundown trail was cut off and replaced with a much higher quality sidewalk. The path had led them right back into the midst of civilization, complete with cars, tons of people, and absolutely no rabid plant life. 

"That was quite a shortcut," commented Rei as he brushed past the last of the stray branches.

"A shortcut to… where?" asked Aya as she looked around uncertainly. "I don't recognize this part of town."

"Ask me again when I figure it out myself."

Aya let her eyes travel up and down the street, desperately trying to find something that looked familiar to her. It seemed like a normal area of Shibuya; a road lined by stores and the people that kept them in business. Soon, something caught Aya's eye.

"Oh look!" She smiled happily and pointed out her find to Rei. "There's a food stand of some sort! What a lucky find!"

"Finally," Rei sighed in relief. "I bet you're starving. Let's go get ourselves something to eat."

_Back to the present time…_

"Otohata? Are you okay?"

"What?" Rei snapped up his head, startled, and found Aya standing next to him, sending him a concerned glance.

"You've been staring at your hotdog for about five minutes now."

"Have I? Well, it's better than eating the thing."

Rei silently gagged as he poked the mush. The vendor may have called it a hotdog, but this looked more like 'mutated hotdog soup'. A pile of unknown sauces mixed together encased the meat in a mucky slime. The gooey substance slid around upon a moldy bun that was fragile enough to crumble on contact. Pieces of fungus from the bread broke apart when the sauce got to them, spreading themselves like pieces of parsley over the liquid. Rei was hungry, but not _that _hungry.

"Just for the record," he added. "I'm not usually a picky eater."

"Just for the record, I'm usually not hungry enough to eat something like this," replied Aya after she took her last bite.

"I don't know how you did that."

"I hadn't eaten anything since this morning, so this hotdog almost tasted good to me," Aya said as she daintily wiped her face with a paper napkin.

"Well, my dinner is going on a one way trip straight to the trash," Rei gave his 'hotdog' one last disdainful look before flinging it into the nearest garbage can. "Good riddance."

"Oh, but aren't you hungry?"

"I'm a model, remember? It's part of the job description to be able to go without food for days at a time," stated Rei matter-of-factly.

"That's right," Aya blushed softly, feeling a bit like a glutton.

Seeing the uncomfortable look on her face, Rei quickly changed the subject. "It's getting pretty dark. Let's head back to the station. If we go back the way we came, we should reach it pretty soon. I bet Yuuya's craziness should have worn off by now," Rei thought about for a moment, then rolled his eyes. "Then again, maybe not… The RAY… Out of all the best friends in the world, I just had to choose the imbecile with a fondness for irritating nicknames."

"Well, that's what a best friend is, isn't it?" Aya nodded and smiled to herself as she walked alongside Rei. "They are a person that may annoy you at times, but at the end of the day, they still are the one you are willing to think of as your most precious buddy in the world. Everyone has their imperfections, but two people that can see past the faults in each other can truly have a beautiful friendship. Like the kind you and Second Place have."

"I wouldn't go so far as to say it's beautiful," Rei replied as he entered the trail through the 'woods' for the second time today.

"Oh, but it is!" Aya defended her case as she cautiously stepped over a protruding root. "The two of you have such vastly different personalities. What Number Two is, you aren't, and what you are, he could never be. The first couple weeks I saw you two, I thought you were only with each other because of work. As time went on though, I saw more and more of both of you and came to realize that your friendship was more than just some business deal. I noticed you and Second Place seemed to have found a sort of balance between your two personalities. By being opposites of each other, you both helped one another experience things that you never would have before. If Second Place wasn't around, you would have never learned how to make a nickname!" Aya giggled softly.

"Oh, the horror," Rei slapped a hand over his mouth, in mock terror before once again rolling his eyes. After a few more steps he added, "You know, I could say the same thing about you and Ran."

Aya nodded in agreement. "I never thought about that! I guess it is kind of similar."

"Yeah, it is."

Rei fell into silence as he continued down the path. In the lull of the conversation, he once again let his mind travel through the crazy events of this day. From overhearing Aya talking to a bench, all the way to the mutated hotdogs, it sure had been one hell of a night. Well, it should have been. Quite surprised, he found himself not regretting or feeling like complaining about any part of it. Normally, by the end of this type of day he would usually find himself completely exhausted and utterly irritable. He was tired, injured and hungry, but, weirdly enough, he felt absolutely fine. Better than fine, quite well actually.

The sharp crack of a branch behind him startled Rei out of his reverie. With it, came a possible answer to his questions in the form of one simple word.

Aya. Was it possible that a single person could make what would seem like a horribly bad day, quite enjoyable to him? Was it possible that someone could affect his mood that much? He had found himself nearly smiling during many of the conversations they had had this night, and had not been the least put off by the disheveled appearance she had acquired because of the mess at Shibuya's Fine Cuisine. Was it possible?

All of a sudden, Rei stopped and turned around, almost causing Aya to crash right into him, for she was only a few steps behind.

"What's wrong?" Aya looked up, surprised, at the suddenly stationary Rei.

"I just wanted to say thank you."

"For wh-"

The pressure of lips upon hers swiftly stopped Aya's words. A single breath softly tickled the inside of her open mouth as her eyes widened in surprise and a deep blush ripened on her cheeks.

As fast as it came though, the contact was gone. Rei straightened, slightly flushed, and quickly turned to resume the walk without so much as another word. In a deafening silence, only broken by the rapid footfalls of one and by the soft sounds of nature made by many, Aya could only find the strength to stand and stare at the rapidly retreating figure.

_What do I do? What do I do! _Aya's brain hopelessly tried to process the events that had just taken place; the events that had seemingly made her loose almost every brain cell she had.

"_You have to take initiative girl!" _The words Ran told her just before she went to the station suddenly came back to her in a flash.

Without pausing to think for another second, Aya dashed down the trail with a firm resolve she never knew she had. Stumbling and almost falling countless times in her three-inch heels, she continued to run with all her strength, trying her best to catch up with Rei.

Finally, when he was once again in sight, Aya found the space in her gasping lungs to call out to him, "REI!"

Upon hearing his name shrilly screamed like some cheesy one-liner in a mediocre horror movie, Rei abruptly turned around to see Aya collapse a few steps behind him into an exhausted heap on the ground.

"Are you okay?" He asked anxiously.

"I… I wanted to tell you," as she spoke, she raised an unsteady hand and enclosed it over the fingers of Rei's right hand. "I don't know what you thanked me for, but you're welcome Rei, more than welcome." She looked at the ground, suddenly self-conscious.

Rei made no move to reply, but instead slipped his hand further into hers and grasped it firmly. He waited, and would wait, for as long as it took for her strength to come back. Silent and unmoving, he would calmly hold her hand until she could walk beside him again.

* * *

Tons of sappy sap for all you sap lovers out there! ; ) 

Chapter Six:_ To Be or Not to Be a... Bum?_ will be a bit more on the crazy side. Is EveryNever truly cruel enough to send Yuuya to prison? Hehehe… read the next chapter to find out.

On to the review replies!

imjuzakyd: Yea! My first reviewer! EveryNever gives Kyd some cookies.  
I know that my chapters are a little longer than normal, so that's why I don't mind if people only read the parts that are interesting to them. I'm happy that you found your own way to enjoy my story!

Zionne: Thanks for the support! It just made my day when you complimented my writing style. I'm so glad to know that there are people out there who enjoy this fanfic!

camille-lkx: I knew I was going to torture people with that chapter title! Just between you and me, the truth is that when it came around the time I usually update, I only had half of the First 'First Kiss' chapter done. So, as evil as I am, I decide to split the chapter in half, thus making everyone have false hope when reading part one… Yes, it was pretty much just me being lazy…  
Speaking of lazy, I haven't reviewed your story _A Change in the Wind,_ and even though this is probably not the place to do this, I just have to say that I think that that fanfic is great! I couldn't stop laughing when I was reading your latest chapter with the banter between the three 'princes'!

Kos-mosMomo: I'm glad you think so!

velvet ink: Here's another update for ya. I hope you enjoyed it!

And I want to send a big thank you to all of the people out there who are following this story! I hope I continue to make this fanfic enjoyable to all of you out there!

See you all in the next chappie!


	6. To Be or Not to Be a… Bum?

Hey again! I'm finally back with the next chapter of A Gal's Life. Sorry for taking so long to update. Computer problems and real life have kept me pretty busy recently, but here I am again! So go ahead and read this latest section. I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: Come on. After six chapters, do you still have to ask?

* * *

Chapter 6: To Be or Not to Be a… Bum? 

Key:

""- speech/dialogue

''- thoughts or an exaggerated phrase/word

* * *

"You with the waterworks," a police officer pointed to Yuuya and motioned for him to follow. "Yeah, you. You're up next." 

With a weak nod and a whimper, Yuuya staggered to his feet and followed the man to the next room, crying all the way. Today just wasn't his day. After being nearly ripped apart by fans and frozen to death, he had to end up -of all places- in a police box for questioning!

He had been sitting for hours, waiting for his turn to be interrogated on the situation and to receive proper punishment. Now, it was finally his time to see if the future he had been working towards would crumble before his eyes. Would they put him in jail for life? Would they put him on death row? Would they sell him off as a slave to some third-world country? All he could do was imagine the horrors awaiting him, as he shuffled closer and closer to his demise.

"If you don't mind me asking, what is a guy like you doing in a place like this?" the policeman guiding him turned a curious eye to the depressed teen. "Don't shelters have a curfew earlier than this?"

"Shelters? What do you mean?"

"They've run out of room in the shelters! Oh, you poor boy!" the man gave a confused Yuuya a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. "I thought that Shibuya had more funds for things like these. You must be having quite a hard time on the streets."

"What? What are you…"

Yuuya trailed off and took one look at his ripped shirt and shorts and ran his dirt-crusted hand through his completely disheveled hair. In a few seconds it came to him.

"I'M NOT A HOMELESS GUY! I'M JUST HAVING A REALLY SUCKY DAY!" The crazed blonde hollered at the top of his lungs almost directly into the officer's ear before slumping in a dejected heap onto the ground.

The man never lost the sympathy in his gaze and his handlebar mustache quivered slightly with emotion as he began to drag the 'bum' the rest of the way to the room.

"Poor soul," the officer shook his head. "He's too proud to accept help when he truly needs it."

* * *

Someone really hated him. He didn't know who it was, or why, but he knew they had turned the whole world against him in one night. 

Yuuya could tell that anyone who knew anything about him would label him as the 'nice guy' type without a second glance. Even though having that type of reputation wasn't exactly a dream come true most of the time for him, it did have some benefits. Like, for instance, most people who he passed on the street didn't seem to have the urge to kill him, maim him, or tap dance on his bloody carcass.

After thinking about it for a moment, Yuuya had cut his mental list of people who might want his head on a platter down to two suspects. Rei and Monkey Boy.

He still didn't know what he had done to piss Rei off and he wasn't sure he wanted to know. Even though the guy has been his best friend for who knows how long, Yuuya has come to realize that the mind of the winner of the High School Grand Prix often works in mysterious ways. Selfish one moment and inhumanly nice the next, with a poker face all the while, Rei was the type of guy Yuuya could never hope to understand at all. That was what makes being around him so interesting, he never really knew what to expect. He certainly wasn't expecting what he got tonight.

Then again, maybe he had yelled in Tatsukitchi's face one to many times. Maybe, the stupid monkey had finally recognized him as a rival for Ran.

Maybe, maybe, maybe…

Letting his head drop on the desk in front him, he watched as his tears formed a mini pond on the tabletop. He numbly wondered if he could literally drown himself in his tears if he cried enough of them.

Fortunately for the plotline of A Gal's Life, he didn't get the chance to find out.

"Excuse me sir, if you could just pull yourself together we could begin the questioning."

With a moan, Yuuya lifted his head in slow motion and found himself facing what could only be a miracle staring right back at him. In milliseconds, his zombie-like expression turned to one of sheer joy.

"Ran's Big Brother! You don't know how happy I am to see you! I'm so happy! I'm so happy! I'm so happy!"

Jumping over the table, a starry-eyed Yuuya attached himself to the wide-eyed police officer, causing them both to tumble to the floor.

"Who or what the hell are you!" Yamato Kotobuki was becoming quite terrified of the ragged parasite that had attached itself to his arm. "Get off me!"

Using all his strength, he managed to dislodge the 'creature' from his neck, only to have it bounce back and cling steadfastly to his shirt.

From his perch on Yamato's chest, Yuuya looked desperately into the eyes of his hope for survival, "You've got to remember me Ran's Big Brother Sir! I was at the beach and the Amusement Park at Odaiba and the rock wall -which I didn't know was illegal to climb at the time, just so you know- and the indoor snowboard place and-"

"Wait…" Yamato studied the whimpering thing on top of him for a moment. "You couldn't be… that Second Place guy?"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Yuuya nodded ecstatically, flecks of dirt raining off him like muddy rain with each shake of his head. "Yes, I'm the Second Place guy!"

"Now that you've identified yourself would you mind getting off of me?"

Eager to please, in hopes of winning some brownie points, Yuuya hopped off immediately and pleaded with Yamato, "You know I'm not a bad guy, so you gotta help me! None of what happened was my fault! Please, you just gotta help me!"

"No, I don't," Yamato got up quickly with an exhausted sigh and brushed off his uniform as he spoke. "I hardly even know you, so how do you expect me to know your character? My impression of you right now is that you're a bit unstable at the moment…"

"You've got it all wrong!" Yuuya got to his feet as well and shook the officer furiously by the shoulders. "I'm stable! I really am! I'm the stablest person that ever walked this Earth! I was the inspiration people needed to invent horse stables! I have great character too! You should have seen me yesterday! I was saving the world from that… thing! If I-"

"That _thing_?"

"Yeah! That thing!"

"Ah, of course. That _thing_…"

"You… you don't believe me do you!"

"Give me one reason why I should!"

Arms crossed defiantly over his chest, Yamato Kotobuki stared down the suspect with cold eyes. This policeman takes his duty quite seriously and if he has any ounce of suspicion that his charge is guilty he will not release them until justice is served!

Seeing the stern countenance that had overtaken his interrogator, Yuuya (for about the tenth time today…) crumpled to the floor with an endless supply of tears.

Between sobs and hiccups, he whined piteously to the surprised police officer that was not used to having criminals break down into tears after a stern word or two, "You're related to Ran so I thought that you of all people would have a kind heart! But I was wrong! Oh so wrong! You have a heart of iron! Cold, hard, merciless iron! That's what you have, Ran's Big Brother!"

Seeing that helpless, pathetic heap on the floor, Yamato couldn't help but let his parental instincts take over.

"Now, now Mr. Second Place," he kneeled down and put an arm around his shaking shoulder. "Everything's going to be okay."

"No it's not!" Yuuya stared right into the officer's eyes with his best pity-me-because-I'm-pitiful look. "My life will never be the same! I thought that the police officers of Shibuya were supposed to protect this town, not condemn its youth to bleak and hopeless futures!"

"Now you know that's not true!" Yamato turned the sobbing mass of human flesh to face him and deepened his own serious gaze. "The police of Shibuya are here to maintain the peace and to allow justice to reign supreme. That is the true goal of any honest officer and always will be!" Finally, his expression softened, "But since we have over two hundred troublemakers here for the same crime, making it a bit crowded around the station, I guess it wouldn't hurt to let just one person skip the whole procedure… You do seem like you might be a nice guy so-"

"You mean I'm free to go! I take back what I said! You have the most un-iron heart a policeman could have!"

Transforming from Mr. Gloomy to Mr. Sunshine in the time it takes to blink, Yuuya brought poor Yamato to the floor once again. This time, with a bone breaking hug that nearly sucked all the air out of the poor officer's lungs.

"Now, get out of here," Yamato managed to choke out, "before I change my mind!"

"Yes, Ran's Big Brother Sir!" With an enthusiastic salute Yuuya happily backed away to the exit.

"Good, and make sure that you never have to come back to this police box again because I won't be so soft on you next time!" the officer called out his last warning to the retreating figure, now quite a ways into the distance.

"Never again! I promise!"

_A couple minutes later…_

"Hi again Ran's Big Brother!"

"Oh, hello Mr. Second Place," Yamato nodded in greeting before going back to questioning his current suspect. "Wait a second…" He looked up from his work only moments later to stare at the raggedy dressed teen that was now relaxing in a chair near the back of the room. It only took a few moments more for him to explode. "WHAT THE HELL ARE _YOU_ DOING BACK HERE?"

"Calm down man. I was ju-"

The now enraged police officer never gave him a chance to finish. Storming over to Yuuya, he bent over and shoved his own watch in front of Yuuya's large, yellow eyes.

"YOU SEE THIS?" Roared Yamato as he brought the bulky wristwatch right up to Yuuya's eyelashes.

"Clear as crystal," Yuuya slowly nodded.

"Good! Than you know what this is, right?"

"A… watch?"

"Two in a row… we're on a roll here Mr. Second Place," the police officer smiled mirthlessly. "So now, one last question. When did I tell you to come back to this police box?"

"Never, but-"

"Ding! Ding! Ding! I think we have a winner," With a grin thinner than paper, the officer stiffly patted Yuuya on the shoulder, "So now that we're both on the same page, I just can't help but wonder where you learned that three minutes and twenty-two seconds is equivalent in time to _never_!"

"What happened in three minutes and twenty-two seconds?"

"_That, _my friend, was the time it took you to get back here!"

"Oh! I get it now!" Yuuya grinned and snapped his fingers. "That's what the whole watch-in-my-face thing was all about! Great idea, man!"

"Do not call me 'man'! By doing so you are undermining my authority!" Refusing to be placated, Yamato had gone past furious and straight to enraged. "I ignored it the first time, but I now I just can't excuse that improper term!"

"Well,_ Officer,_" Yuuya enunciated every syllable. "I don't mean to interrupt your lecture or anything, but I think you have a bit of a problem."

"What is it now?"

"Weren't you questioning someone when I came in?"

"Yes, why?"

"Well, I think that someone kinda… left."

"They… WHAT!" In a state of panic, Yamato dashed blindly around the police box, looking around desperately for the vanished suspect, and trashing the police box in the process. "This can't be happening! I'm going to get in major trouble with my boss for this! Two! I allowed two people to escape the law!"

"Calm down ma-" Yuuya winced. "I mean, um… _Officer_. It's not the end of the world."

"You don't seem to understand the gravity of this situation! I might get fired for this and it's all your fault!"

"Hey! What did I do?"

"EVERYTHING!"

"Hey, hey, calm down."

"DON'T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN! I'M PERFECTLY CALM!" Yamato yelled with a vengeance as he looked hopelessly under his coffee mug for some sign of the escapee.

"If you say so…"

"YES, I SAY SO!"

"Excuse me," the officer with the handlebar mustache stared suspiciously at the two occupants of the room from the doorway. "Will someone tell me what in the world is going on here?"

_A few minutes and miles away from the police box later…_

"Well, it could have been worse…" Yuuya smiled sympathetically and forced one of his hands out of his pocket into the frosty chill of the midnight air so he could pat his companion softly on the shoulder.

A quick jerk of the shoulder to remove the hand was the only thanks the dejected cop gave as they walked side by side through the Shibuya streets.

With his head bent low, Yamato let out a long sigh, his breath visible in freezing cold air.

"Really, it turned out pretty well, if you ask me," said Yuuya, nodding in earnest.

"Well, nobody asked you!" Yamato finally snapped back. "This stupid mess of a night could never be described with the words 'pretty well,' unless pretty well suddenly meant utterly crappy. So take your stupid optimism and shove it where the sun don't shine!"

"Woah there, no need to get mad, Ran's Big Bro. I come in peace," Yuuya grinned, waving his hand in a submissive gesture. "Neither of us are behind bars or handcuffed to a pole or anything. We're still free men, so there's no need go all psycho on me."

"You weren't in enough trouble to get detained in the first place, so this is all fun and games for you, isn't it!"

"But, wasn't I being questioned to see whether or not I was going to jail or something?"

"Of course not," Yamato rolled his eyes in frustration up to the now star-filled night sky. "It wasn't a major offense you were involved in. You were only being questioned for information about the incident."

"You mean I begged and groveled for mercy from the law when the law wasn't even after me in the first place?"

Yuuya and Yamato sighed in unison, one with regret and the other still filled with annoyance.

"Well I might as well be arrested," Yamato muttered, "because tonight I just guaranteed myself a free ticket to the world of unemployment!"

"Hey, the dude didn't fire you, Ran's Big Brother. He just yelled and waved his arms a lot."

"As soon as I show up to work tomorrow I'm toast, you idiot! I turned my office into a pigsty, let a person leave in the middle of questioning, and, to top it all off, when Officer Shindo-"

Yuuya interrupted, "Was that the cop with the big mustache?"

"Yes," Yamato nodded impatiently. "When he came in and saw the mess… I guess I just panicked…"

"Yeah, you sure did," Yuuya chuckled to himself. "Your eyes were bugging out of your head and you looked whiter than I did when I drank Ran's Nasty Juice. It was a sight to see."

Ignoring the commentary, Yamato continued, "But panicking was no reason for me to dash off like that. I ran away from an officer, you understand? I committed a crime and fled! Ah hell, am I really turning bad?"

"Don't get so down on yourself, it's like instinct. 'Fight or flight,' you know. Just go back tomorrow and apologize. They're police officers, so they should be compassionate and stuff, aren't they?"

"Maybe your right," Yamato gave an attempt at a grin. "Everything always seems better in the morning doesn't it?"

"That's the spirit!" Yuuya slapped Yamato on the back before pocketing his hand away from the cold. "Tomorrow is a new day!"

"So just help me with one more thing, will you?"

"What's the problem, Ran's Big Brother?"

Slowing his brisk pace to a sudden halt, the soon-to-be-possibly-retired officer raised a quizzical eyebrow at the ragged looking blonde who, in turn, had stopped his upbeat strides and looked back at him to see what the hold-up was.

"Just answer me this," sighing, Yamato gritted his teeth in exasperation. "Mr. Second Place, why are you following me home in the middle of the night?"

"Ah, um… you caught me!" Laughing sheepishly, Yuuya waved his hand in mock surrender before continuing. "Well, you see, I tried to explain to you at the police box when I came back that second time, but you know how that went."

"Only too well…"

"Heh, yeah. Well, it all happened like this…Rei and I came here to Shibuya, and I set him up with Aya, and they left, and then Rei got mad or something and sent a mob after me, and then I was at the police box because of something I didn't do, and I thought I was going to go to jail, which wouldn't have been right, and then you came and I was so relieved…" After pausing to take a few gasping breaths to mark the estimated middle of one of the longest run-on sentences known to man, Yuuya continued. "And then you let me go, but I realized I can't leave because Rei was my only ride out of here, but I think he wants to kill me or something, so I couldn't call him, and I can't ride the train out of here, because one of the people in the crazy mob grabbed my wallet, so I'm broke, so I don't have anywhere to go and I didn't know what else to do but follow you, Ran's Big Brother."

"Where do you keep all that air?" asked Yamato with a small bit of respect as he watched the mile-long-sentence-stringer try to bring back some of his lung capacity. "Uh, never mind. Let me talk while you recover from your little, err… speech there. So you essentially have absolutely no way to get back to your home. That's what you're telling me right?"

Yuuya nodded weakly.

"Do you think you could find a way back to wherever you live tomorrow morning?"

"Hopefully… Rei will… be a little… nicer then," Yuuya managed to say between intakes of air.

After a short pause for thought, Yamato began to walk again and motioned for the panting teen to follow.

"I'm not cruel enough to have you wandering the streets of Shibuya looking the way you do right now, but I also don't approve of beggars, so I'm not giving you money for the train fair," Yamato stated matter-of-factly. "But for tonight, and tonight only, and only if the rest of the family approves… there is an extra futon you could possibly sleep on until the morning."

"Really!" Recovering immediately from his fatigue, Yuuya grinned with relief. "You really are the best Shibuya cop ever, you know that! I thought I might be shivering alone in a cardboard box somewhere for tonight, but you saved me!"

"You'll call your friend first thing in the morning, got it? I won't have you loafing around at the Kotobuki residence longer than necessary," Yamato used his lecturing tone as he gave the happily smirking Yuuya a warning look.

"Of course, Ran's Big Brother!"

"Yamato."

"Huh?"

"You can call me Yamato. I don't think I'd ever get used to being called Ran's Big Brother."

Giving his name was like an awkward attempt at a peace offering to end the war that had raged all night between the two exhausted combatants.

"Sure thing, Yamato. By the way, I'm Yuuya Asou. Call me Yuuya."

His gift was gladly accepted, with gusto.

* * *

Hey reviewers! It's your turn to feel loved! 

imjuzakyd: Yea! My cooking skills are appreciated! EveryNever does her little victory dance. And as for Rei and his out-of-the-blue actions… It shall be revealed in later chapters, heehee, so stay tuned!

camille-lkx: Wow, such a compliment! I'm glad you liked chapter five so much. In a few more chapters there will be a bit more Aya/Rei moments to look forward to, so hold out until then!

shwainse: Thanks for the review! Hope you enjoyed the newest update. Nice penname change, by the way!

* * *

I can't be sure when will be the next time I'll have a chance to update, but even if you don't see me for a few months, be assured, I won't have given up on this fic. I'm really enjoying working on this project, so just be patient, EveryNever will get chapter seven up eventually! So wait and see what happens when the Kotobuki family gets an unexpected guest! 


	7. To Meet the Parents

And I'm baaack! Miss me? Didya?

Disclaimer: EveryNever looks underneath mountainous heaps of junk on her desk to find just where she puts those rights to Super Gals!. Dang, not there.

* * *

Chapter 7: To Meet the Parents 

Key:

""- speech/dialogue

_italics _or ''- thoughts or an exaggerated phrase/word

* * *

It was strange. Yeah, it was pretty bizarre. 

Well, today hadn't been exactly ordinary, but still. Why the heck was he just realizing this now?

"You're really Ran's brother, aren't you?"

"No, of course not," Yamato replied sarcastically. "I just tricked you into calling me Ran's Big Brother for the fun of it and me and Ran just _happen_ to have the _same last name_ and live in the _same house_. Why would you ever think we'd be related?"

"Oh, yeah," Yuuya laughed sheepishly. "I did call you that."

To tell the truth, he had always just thought of Yamato's title as Ran's Big Brother to be just that; a title. It's just like the Prime Minister of Japan. You know there's a guy who's the Prime Minister, but do you ever seriously contemplate what the dude does or what kind of person he is?

If he bangs his head on some random, Prime Minister related, pointy thingy, would you send a dozen assorted flowers and cheesy get-well card to whatever Prime Minister hospital room he goes to? Really, have you ever wanted to just call up the guy and say, 'Yo, Junichiro Koizumi! What's up? Me? Same as ever! But what about you? I never hear you complain, man, so just tell me whatever's bugging the Big Cheese! Let's hang out and do some Prime Minister stuff later and you can tell me what's going on, okay?'

Yuuya didn't even have this Juni-guy's phone number. He didn't even know if Prime Ministers of Japans got to carry around cell phones, because maybe they're so utterly amazing that they can hire a cell phone guy to carry around their cell phone(s) but that's beside the point…

He knew there was a Prime Minister, but he didn't really _know _the guy.

It was the same with Yamato. He hadn't really even thought of him as a person. Yuuya had absolutely no idea if Yamato had run into any pointy things lately, or even what the heck he does besides yell at Ran and the unfortunate people who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time to obey the law.

How could Yuuya not even acknowledge his future brother-in-law's existence…

"Damn, I'm sorry, Yamato…"

"Huh?"

"I'll be a better from now on, I swear! You can count on me to know you're real!"

"What the… no… never mind… I have a feeling I don't really want to know…" Yamato sighed and rubbed his sore temples. "Besides, we're almost at my house and I don't want you scaring my parents or little sister, you got that?"

"Aye, aye, Captain!" Performing a mock salute in mid-step Yuuya grinned in compliance until the realization hit him. "Hey! I'm not scary! I'll have you know that even though I may seem like a total badass on the streets, I have learned how to come off as high society figure when necessary from my experience in modeling!"

"I wouldn't say badass…" Yamato muttered softly under his breath. "Maybe closer to borderline nutcase."

"What did you say? Something about bad nuts? I didn't know they could go bad," Yuuya mused aloud thoughtfully. "Well, then again, I only really eat peanuts, so I wouldn't know about cashews or almonds, or anything. Man! Eating a moldy peanut would be downright nasty! It would be all green and mushy…"

"Stop it! You're making me nauseous!"

Yep, this took Yamato back… an _absolutely_ _lovely _trip down memory lane…

"Oh! You really are turning green, man!"

_Himself, nine years and twenty-eight days old, with school bought lunch, age unknown._

"No, really?"

_Himself eating school bought lunch with plastic spork that comes with said school bought lunch, age unknown._

"Wow, and you're still able to be sarcastic when you're that color! That, my friend, takes skill!"

"Not helping…"

_Himself, nine years, twenty-eight days and three hours old, in a hospital bed, whose age no one particularly cares about, with a severe case of food poisoning, three hours old and counting._

"Just don't imagine moldy, rotting peanuts that taste like overused soap and you'll be fine!"

Yamato Kotobuki would never underestimate the power of food again.

"Really not helping!"

That was it. Enough was enough. _Sorry, Miyu, I loved the boxed lunch you made for me packed full of love but…_

"Aw, geez! If you're gonna spew chunks, do it in the bushes, man!"

_**About ten minutes and one partially recovered Yamato later…**_

"No more crazy talk or any mentions of any rotting food items whatsoever as soon as I open this door, you got that?"

With a hesitant hand placed on the knob of the entrance to his Kotobuki household, Yamato was beginning to have second thoughts about bringing this _thing_ in with him.

"I told you already! I may be a badass at heart, but when I have to I-"

"That was a yes or no question, and I want a one word answer only!" Yamato snapped, irritated.

"Yes…"

"Good. Now you say you can be _high class _when you want to, but when you talk to my parents there will be no traces in anything you do that could give the slightest hint that you are, have been, or someday will be _badass_." Yamato spit out the last word like the aforementioned moldy peanut of earlier discussion.

"Got it!" Performing another salute, Yuuya nodded in conformation. "Now, I don't mean to be _badass _or anything, but could we head in 'cause I'm freezing my butt off out here."

_Might as well get it over with… _

With one final, meaningful glare at his bedraggled-looking _guest,_ Yamato tightened his grip on the knob and turned…

_**About another ten minutes later…**_

_This cannot be happening… My god… What the hell have I done? A monster… I've unleashed a monster… What should I do? What **can **I do? Am I doomed? Am I-_

"I'm sure Officer Yamato would agree with your fine point as well, wouldn't you Sir?"

Brought back suddenly into the conversation with the mention of his name, Yamato locked his gaze onto the person who was both the asker of the question as well as the being who was currently scaring the living daylights out of him.

"Oh dear," furrowing his eyebrows, Yuuya's whole expression grew to show depthless concern, as he spoke apologetically. "Was I wrong to assume your stance on the matter, Officer Yamato? I am ashamed to say I must have jumped to an incorrect conclusion. Please accept my humblest apologies."

"Uh… yeah… sure thing…"

"What an absolutely, wonderfully charming friend you have here, Yamato dear," his mother gushed with enthusiasm. "He is so considerate and thoughtful!"

"Oh, you are too kind madam," Yuuya spoke as he gave a friendly grin and Yamato thought he could almost see a sparkling background, like the ones on those cheesy anime, glittering behind him.

"Did you hear that, Taizou!" Mrs. Kotobuki turned excitedly to her husband, putting a hand to her forehead and faking a swoon. "He called me madam! Now isn't that something?"

"It certainly is," Taizou Kotobuki nodded his head in approval from his place on the couch in the living room. "Young children don't have as much respect as they should for the world around them these days. I'm glad I finally got to see an exception to that rule. You sure are an exceptional young man, but I do have to question your choice of attire."

Yamato watched with a mixture of mute awe and terror as Yuuya's entire being darkened with a look of piercing sadness and pure, unadulterated angst. His eyes swirled with emotion as he gripped the edges of his torn shorts with white-knuckled hands.

In a teary voice no louder than a melancholy whisper, he spoke, "Today was quite… unfortunate. My clothes, as well as my impressionable, adolescent spirit were shown no mercy…"

The silence that followed couldn't have deepened even if this universe everyone seems to live in gained a suicidal personality, went kapoot, and all life ceased to exist. Nope. That type of silence couldn't even compare to this…

"Clothes! Let the poor soul wear some of your old clothes, Taizou!"

With what seemed like a strangled stream, Mrs. Kotobuki dragged herself and her husband up from their places on the couch, quickly proceeding up the stairs. Mr. Kotobuki, on the other hand, couldn't have been crying harder as he stumbled after his wife.

"Don't worry, boy," Taizou managed to say between sobs. "We should wear about the same size. You just hang in there okay?"

They were gone in a flash, leaving Yamato to gape at only person left. What else could he do?

As soon as they'd stepped a foot inside the open door, his parents, who seemed to be the only ones in the house still awake at the time, came to greet him and well… Yuuya turned into a… a… respectable human being? No… couldn't be….

His mom or dad didn't seem to care a bit that he had brought a guest over with him in the middle of the night. They led him right into the living room and sat him down for tea! In fact, after a few minutes of chivalrous compliments and small talk from the guy, they treated Yuuya like the son they never had! Hmph! The Kotobuki household may have two daughters, but there is only _one _son!

"Who are you, and what have you done with the idiot?" Yamato finally spoke, newfound anger etched into each word.

"I'm doing what you said to," Yuuya blinked innocently, "being _high class_ and all."

"Just. Tone. It. Down. A. Bit."

"Woah… Why the sudden animosity there, Yamato?"

"Just tone down the dramatics or my parents might start trying to adopt you!"

Slowly, realization dawned on the face of the one and only Yuuya Asou.

A knowing smirk graced his lips as he spoke confidently, "Don't worry Yamato. Just leave everything to me."

Yuuya gave a quick wink and returned to his angsty expression just as the two eldest Kotobukis reentered the room.

_Oh no… Hold on. Back up. What the HELL did he mean by THAT? _

_Yep, he had no idea what I was hinting at! _

_Okay, Yamato, you know this is most likely really bad, so what are you going to do about it?_

_If only time travel was possible in this day and age… Then I could travel back in time to a minute before the life-ruining bozo found his way near my police box and tell my past self to run for his… err… my life._

_Damn. Where were a few dozen, Nobel Prize worthy inventors when he needed them?_

_Augh! This is just too much!_

"This is just too much!" Yuuya was looking up at Yamato's parents, a pair of neatly folded clothes in his lap, smiling brightly. "I don't know how I could ever begin to thank you for such a wonderful gift."

"No thanks necessary, boy," Taizou harrumphed in attempt to keep attention away from his watering eyes.

"Aren't you just darling!" Mrs. Kotobuki twittered as she gave his cheek a motherly pinch.

"I know it's probably…" trailing off almost as soon as began, the sadness seeped back into Yuuya's eyes. "I know it's probably horribly rude of me. But… I have another favor I must ask of you."

"You are anything but rude, Yuuya dear," Yamato's mother comforted anxiously. "If anything, you are an absolute pleasure to have as a guest."

"We'll help you in anyway we can," Taizou chimed in hurriedly. "Just don't get upset, boy."

"Well, you see…" Yuuya began. "Officer Yamato-"

Two accusatory pairs of eyes rested their glares on the disgruntled cop who was once again thrown unceremoniously back into the conversation.

"I am indebted to Officer Yamato and his self-sacrificing sense of duty that was able to rescue me from the misfortune that has befallen me this day."

Immediately the glares turned into looks of gratefulness and relief.

"It is a very likely possibility that Mr. Yamato will lose his very job because of his selflessness and I must know what I can do to attempt to stop this from happening," Yuuya stared Yamato's parents in the eyes with what seemed like unbridled determination.

"_You_, boy, are the selfless one," blubbered Taizou, no longer able to stop his tears. "For your sake, I will head down with my son to the police box this next very morning and defend his worth with every speck of life in my body!"

_So Yuuya's plan wasn't to ruin his life. He's trying to save my job._

_Well, same difference._

_Yamato would have been pissed either way._

_Now he felt like he was indebted to the guy or something, and the very thought of that made him sick to his stomach. Not sick enough to repeat the 'peanut incident', as it shall so forth be named, but sick enough to be quite pissed._

"Don't you feel lucky to have such a loyal friend, Yamato dear?" questioned his mother as she turned to him, smiling.

"Yeah, lucky..."

And so the conversation continued, for the next hour or so. Things were settled, and sleeping arrangements finally made. Yuuya was given the living room couch and a blanket for the night, as the rest had their regular rooms.

Soon after, Mr. and Mrs. Kotobuki said their 'good nights' and headed up the stairs. Yamato got up to follow and… stopped.

"What the heck's wrong with you?" Yuuya gave him an inquisitive glance. "You're looking royally pissed."

Yamato looked at the floor, he looked at the ceiling, he looked at the wall, and he finally gave up.

"Heck no!" he grumbled. "I hate feeling like I _owe you one _or something, so just tell me a quick favor you want so I can even the score!"

Yuuya thought for a moment then, "That's easy," he grinned. "All you have to do is give your complete approval when I start dating your younger sister."

"I sure as hell hope you're not talking about Sayo," Yamato raised a threatening eyebrow.

Yuuya blanched.

"What kind of sick pervert do you think I am!"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

"I guess not," Yuuya sighed into his hand. "And _no_! It isn't Sayo."

He paused for a moment.

Even though he didn't have to say it… Even though by the use of process of elimination his answer was obvious… He still did.

"It's Ran."

"Yeah, I kinda guessed," Yamato half chuckled, half sighed. "And yeah, I guess I could give you my blessing if you two ever became an item."

"Thanks, man!"

"There are worse guys out there, I suppose."

"You know, I don't really know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult," Yuuya huffed, crossing his arms.

Ignoring Yuuya's last comment, Yamato continued with utmost seriousness, "And I know it wouldn't just be some fling."

"How could you tell that?"

"It's obvious you're crazy about her, just by your voice when you say her name."

"Wha?" Yuuya blushed, embarrassed, and fidgeted uncomfortably. "Am I really that obvious?"

"Trust me. I'm in love too, you know, and I always speak Miyu's name with a little more care than I do with the rest of my vocabulary."

"She really _is _special to you, isn't she," there was a touch of admiration in Yuuya's voice as he spoke.

"It's not as if you haven't fallen almost, if not just as hard for my little sis," Yamato retorted with a hint of approval.

Yuuya smiled, but it wasn't just any smile. It was content, proud, but on closer inspection, an observant eye might find it seemed just a bit pained.

"Yeah," with a far-off look in his eyes, he nodded. "I guess I have."

* * *

A/N: At first, EveryNever was like, "Hey! Isn't this a great place to end it?" Then, she was like, "Nah…"

* * *

Here he was. _Here _of all places. 

After a roller coaster of a day complete with elations that looped around into frustrations and most everything in between, he'd ended up… here.

Yuuya Asou was in the house of _Ran Kotobuki. He_ was lying on _her _couch, well, maybe it was the family couch, but still… _His_ makeshift bed was literally a jump, hop, and a skip away from _hers_. Putting his hands behind his head, Yuuya grinned widely at the darkness of the empty room.

He definitely wasn't going to get much shut-eye tonight.

It wasn't like he could sense her presence or anything, nothing like that at all. He'd heard a couple of those epic romance stories where one person would just _know _if the other was near, as if they we're connected somehow.

That was just a little _too _deep for him at this point in time, no matter how much the romantic sop in him tried to deny it.

He just knew the facts. This was the house Ran slept in, and he was positive that strict parents like hers wouldn't be so lax as to let her wander around at this time of night.

All evidence pointed to her, in her room, under the same roof as him, and that couldn't help but make his heart skip a beat or two.

The one thing that would have made the ending to this night absolutely perfect was if he actually got to _see _her. But he knew that was pushing it.

If her parents found him wandering into their precious daughter's room in the middle of the night, he highly doubted they'd even wait for the law to punish him. Also, Ran wouldn't come down to him, because she had no idea he was even here. And even if she did know, would she really care?

Gruffly rolling onto his side so that all he saw was the soft material of the couch, he stopped that train of thought in its tracks. Maybe sleep would come to him if he tried hard enough.

"Oh my god! Is that you, Second Place?"

Then again, maybe not.

* * *

Dun, dun, duuun! 

Hrm, I bet you're all wondering who that could be… EveryNever shrugs her shoulders innocently.

The good news is that EveryNever has gotten a ton of chapter eight done since these last couple of weeks were her school vacation, so you can be expecting 'More Than a Midnight Snack' pretty soon!… err… hopefully…

The bad news is that review replies have been banned from ffnet, so EveryNever can no longer reply to her wonderful reviewers!

EveryNever sobs dramatically.

Instead, each chapter will have a Q&A at the end. This will be for any questions that were brought up in reviews or in some way that EveryNever feels might be beneficial for all her readers to see the answers to!

So…. Here we go…

Q: "Miyu says... Miyu will... Miyu is... geez, why does she talk like that! ARGH! I know she really does talk like that, but WHY?

A: It's one of those things that got lost in translation, or so to say. If I'm getting my facts straight, I think there are quite a few people who talk in the 'third person' in Japan. I believe it's considered a sort of 'cutesy' way of talking there. When Miyu does her 'third person talk' in English it sounds a little strange because no one really talks that way about themselves in this language. Except for crazy authoresses like EveryNever, of course, heehee.

Until next time!

EveryNever poofs.


	8. More Than a Midnight Snack

Heya! It's been a while, but I'm back! Thanks Sakura Blossoms-chan, Destany Mitchell, smoondigiboy, Shainingu, amylovestakuya, and jill2282 for reviewing and also thanks to any of you out there who are enjoying this story!

A/N: If EveryNever remembers correctly, there were really no mentions of Yuuya's family and/or home life in the series, so she has decided to go with her own version on that subject for when that topic comes up in later chapters of this story. She's only seen the first season of the anime, though, so she might have missed out on that. If any of you out there can remember a part in the anime or manga where this is mentioned, just let her know and she'll edit the chapters accordingly.  
Also, it's recently come to her attention that she's been spelling not one, but _two _names wrong in this story (the inu _and _the saru's nickname… le sigh)! EveryNever wanted to bestow upon herself a thousand painful deaths for this horrible folly, but decided it was in the best interests of the readers to just go back and change the names to their correct spelling. She's sorry for the annoyance and/or suicidal thoughts that these mistakes might have caused any of you.  
Oh, yeah, and one more thing. A scene from episode nineteen of the anime inspired a good chunk of this chapter. Ah, what could have been…

But enough rambling…

* * *

Disclaimer: The dog ate it. 

Key:

"sentence"- speech/dialogue

_italicized word _or 'word'- thoughts or an exaggerated phrase/word

_italicized sentence _– daydream/thoughts

Onigiri – Japanese for a rice ball

Yakisoba – a fried, Japanese noodle dish

Yakuza – Japanese equivalent of the mafia, or something along those lines…

* * *

Chapter 8: More Than a Midnight Snack  
"_It's not true that nice guys finish last. Nice guys are winners before the game even starts."  
- Addison Walker_

"Oh my god! Is that you, Second Place?"

No… Couldn't be but…but… It was. It was _her_.

"Stop doing your deer-in-the-headlights imitation and start explaining!"

It really was her, standing above him, hands on her hips, mouth contorted with a mixture of confusion, surprise, and a bit of irritation. Did he mention how cute that expression made her look? Those loose, yet short pajama shorts and tank top of hers didn't hurt either. Nope, not in the least.

Oh, yeah. She'd asked him a question or something, hadn't she?

He pulled himself out of La La Land long enough to give a noncommittal, "Mm hm."

"Oh, that explains everything!"

Ran tapped her slipper-clad foot impatiently and let a frustrated breath slide through her teeth. She mistook his glazed over eyes and zombie-like expression for signs of grogginess and bopped him roughly on the head to snap him out of it.

"Ow!" Yuuya brought a hand to the afflicted spot, rubbing it gently.

"Start talking, buddy, or that little bonk will be the least of your worries!"

_"You want to know why I'm here?" he asked her, his voice uncharacteristically deep, eyes dark and unreadable._

_Suddenly, Yuuya had made his way off and around the couch and was smiling gently at an up close and personal version of Ran Kotobuki's surprised face._

_"**You**, are why I'm here," he whispered breathily in her ear, causing Ran to shudder softly._

_Then, before he knew what his hands were doing, they had grabbed her, pulling her close, slamming her lips to his. Drinking in her taste, his mouth molded to hers and he was surprised to feel her return his passionate aggressions, her lips and teeth digging into his own. It was utterly amazing! She was… she was…_

… hitting him in the head again. It was quite the travesty. Truly, it was.

"Answer me, you idiot," Ran looked down at the couch's currently daydreaming occupant with ever-rising irritation. "Ew! Are you drooling? That's disgusting Second Place! If this is how you get when you're sleepy, remind me to make sure I loose your invitation whenever I have a sleepover!"

Why did all of his dreams have to be such… dreams? It was just so depressing that way… Yuuya sighed as he felt the last wisps of his newest Ran Fantasy leave him helpless under the wrath of reality's fist. Literally.

It was easier to appreciate the girl when her hand was slamming a hole into someone else's face rather than his own. But that didn't stop him, oh no. Of course not. Even Yuuya himself was beginning to realize he was a glutton for punishment. Either that, or he was extremely masochistic.

So, the lesser of two evils it was. He was officially a punishment glutton. Not to be confused with mutton, which although it sounded quite similar to glutton, actually meant a sheep, which he was absolutely positive he wasn't.

Then again, maybe he had been dreaming he was a human in what seemed like a very long dream and he was actually a sleeping mutton being eaten by a glutton for food. But if that were the case, all this thinking he was doing wouldn't matter much anyway. Dead mutton weren't known for their superb thinking abilities, at least, as far as he knew. If he had to guess, he would bet dead mutton would just lie somewhere and rot, or else be eaten by gluttons. It wouldn't be very fun either way, because you would either be very bored or very eaten. Who wants to be bored or eaten?

_Certainly not me_, Yuuya managed to dully process his answer before Ran's latest fist-in-your-face statement knocked whatever coherence he had left right out of him.

…

…

…

"Who the hell falls asleep when you're slapping them around? I mean, c'mon!"

Ran raised an incredulous eyebrow as she stared at the unmoving blob that had just collapsed between two cushions.

"Really," she continued to rant, oblivious to the fact that she was the main, if not only, contributor to the boy's borderline comatose state, "Second Place just gets weirder every day. Maybe he's friggin narcoleptic or something."

…

…

…

"Cold!" Yuuya's eyes popped open as he shot up, rudely awakened by… something…

Reaching down the back of his shirt to find the source of his discomfort, he found himself holding a few cubes of melting ice. The sadistic spawn of a previous ice age slid back and forth across his palm, making uneven paths of clear, watery strokes while thoroughly chilling the contours of his hand.

Nope, not really the best wakeup call. Maybe he'd give it a 0.5 out of 10 on a good day. A _very _good day. A day when he'd already won the lottery and saved the world and well, when the ice-down-the-shirt routine was happening to someone else. Either Monkey Boy or that weird dude with the tie-dye trench coat who tried to stalk him once might be deserving of that… erm… _efficient _method. Well, 'stalker guy' already got what was coming to him thanks to Rei, so that conveniently left just one choice.

"I had to get you up somehow."

Getting his eyes back into focus, Yuuya found the owner of the voice sitting cross-legged on the cushion of the armchair next to him. Forcing his brain off its previous topic, he was starting to remember why he wasn't in his bed, neither was he in his own house. And the person? They were…

"Ran." He laughed awkwardly. "Hi."

"Yeah. Hi," was the flat reply.

Maybe he was sleepy, but something just wasn't clicking. Ran didn't seem like, well, _Ran_. Well, she _looked_ the same. _No one is as cute, as pretty, as amazing, as wonderf- Ah! He was getting off track again. No Yuuya! Bad! _Now where was he? Oh, right. He certainly wasn't expecting her to punch his lights out like she did. Ran only starts randomly attacking people when she gets _really_ angry, as far as he knew. This time was somehow different though. She just seemed a little… sad? But she never lets herself stay down in the dumps for more than a second or two, so it couldn't be that.

"Ran, are you-"

"I'm hungry," she quickly interrupted him. "Cook me something."

"Uh?" He blinked intelligently.

"I don't know why the hell you're in my house, but I've decided I'm not really in the mood to care. Just make me something to eat and consider it payment for your staying here. You _can _cook, right?"

"Um, I guess?" His answer sounded a bit more like a question.

"Good. Kitchen's over there." She pointed a manicured nail a little over to her left. "Use whatever you want. Just make sure it's yummy."

Not wanting to risk being on the bad side of her temper once again, Yuuya turned on a peaceable grin and with a quick, "Anything for you, Ran", he forced his sleep-deprived limbs into action. Through a wide-mouthed yawn he flipped on the switch for the overhead light in the other room and quickly sized up the battlefield. _Certainly not Ran's handiwork_, he thought with a chuckle.

Clean wasn't the right word to describe the Kotobuki kitchen. Immaculate gave the place a bit more justice. It was easy to tell that at least a couple of the cops in this family were hardcore neat freaks.

Not that that was a bad thing. In fact, it might just make his current mission a bit easier than he had thought it would be.

He checked out the contents of the fridge, which, he noted with a twinge of amusement, were separated on the shelves according to their proper place on the Food Pyramid. Going through his options, he glanced over a couple of perfectly preserved onigiri, completely skipping the fresh-looking, leftover salad he knew Ran would gag over. Scanning even further back through the ranks assembled in strictly straight columns, he finally found something he could work with.

Gathering up the ingredients he needed, Yuuya spread them out over the counter next to him to form a haphazard, edible fan. Then, he proceeded to raid the nearby cupboards for a pan, or, in the worst case, anything closing resembling one. Luckily enough, he found one primly tucked away in the second cabinet he peered into that he was able to remove without much fuss.

Unsurprisingly, the entirety of the stainless steel contraption was, well, as stainless as the rest of the place. The mirror-like surface of its smooth bottom perfectly reflected Yuuya's face like a life-sized snapshot.

Almost completely skipping over the obvious, he traveled a few steps with his new item before slamming to halt and taking a frantic double take of the image shimmering innocently up at him.

Innocent? Maybe. Decent? Not so much.

Yuuya hadn't had the chance to check up on his appearances for a while and, from what he'd heard from those he'd recently come into contact with, he was having quite an 'off day' in the looks department. He'd had a feeling that the fact that his clothes looked like they were ran over by a leaking garbage truck only after they'd been put through the friendly, neighborhood shredder a couple times was a big part of the problem. Since Ran's dad had kindly donated a pair of pajamas to his cause, he'd just assumed the problem was pretty much solved.

Life Lesson of the Day: Never, _ever_, jump to conclusions without either irrefutably solid scientific evidence or a person with a whole lot of money to back up your claim. If you don't have any of these, expect your conclusion to come back with a bit of that infectious take-no-prisoners mentality and bite you where it counts.

This teen had definitely learned his lesson, but the price was a bit too _pricey_ for his tastes. Just the fact that Ran had seen him like this was enough to make him want to shove the handy pan through his skull. He refrained from this course of action, if only because his blood might stain the stainless kitchen. That just wouldn't be polite to the Kotobuki's. Even if he looked like this, he still could be somewhat civil. Hopefully.

Yuuya muffled a whimper as he stared at the unwavering reflection. His hair had become home to what must have been at least half the leaves, twigs, and random junk of the Shibuya area, completely unkempt and uncombed. The lines of dirt splattered onto his face, neck, and arms had him resembling an Indian preparing for war, one particularly large streak traveling up the rise of his cheekbone to end abruptly near his hairline.

Rather than help his appearance, the new set of clothes appeared only to make it worse. Crisply starched, the pajama pants and t-shirt made the disaster all the more noticeable as a bleak contrast to their cleanliness. As if to top it all off, the strange patterns of the outfit seemed completely content to mock his plight. Running across the fabric were cheerful-looking police cars, standing erect on their back two wheels with their fenders contorted into larger than life smiles. One was dressed in a business suit, crossing a street, while presumably on its way to work. A 'female' car was sporting a fashionable, low-cut dress as she 'ran' to catch up with her ultra suave 'male' car date. Still another wore a pair of swimming trunks as they jumped, unsuspecting, into a pool that they hadn't realized was completely drained of water.

Mr. Kotobuki sure must like his job, or the vehicle that came with it, at least. Well, as they say, to each his own.

"What the heck are you doing?" The sharp voice unceremoniously dragged Yuuya right back to reality.

Ran was staring at him expectantly from her perch on the nearby stool that she had pushed into position as her makeshift dinner arrangement, drumming her fingers impatiently upon the smooth wood of the countertop.

As though channeling the spirit of Cyrano de Bergerac, Yuuya wildly flung his arms in front of his face in an attempt to shield it from the world.

"Don't look at me!" was his dramatic response.

He heard her frustrated sigh. "So you fell in a mud puddle and swam around in it for a bit. No big deal. So someone happened to introduce your hair to the not so friendly, I'm-gonna-cut-your-ass-off version of the scissor. It happens. What I don't understand is why the hell you're wearing my dad's Cop Cars Turn Me On PJs. I'm not going to ask about it either. Just get over it and get cooking. My stomach might collapse in on itself at any second if I don't put something in it, like, _now_."

Yuuya silently closed and opened his mouth a few times as he reluctantly lowered his hands. "I didn't… get a haircut," he managed.

"Well, I guess that's a good thing, 'cause I totally would have had to brutally murder whatever stylist came up with that 'look', if you could even call it that, but lots of blood kinda creeps me out."

The scary thing was, Yuuya had never seen Ran look more serious in all his time around her. Okay, maybe he had, but it just sounded so dramatic when he put it that way. He still shuffled a few steps sideways, so that he blocked her access to the knife drawer he'd previously discovered, just in case.

Looking up from his awkward staring contest with the tiled floor, he found her sending him a meaningful glare.

"Food."

Oh, right! She wasn't _homicidal_. She was _hungry_. It was easy to mix those two up when it came to Ran.

He quickly hefted the pan onto one of the burners, forcing his eyes away from the cruel reflection beaming up from its metallic surface. After slathering on some cooking oil, he piled on and separated the ingredients in quick succession, leaving them hissing indignantly at the sizzling heat of the flame.

"Almost done. Just hang in there." Yuuya gave her another soothing smile before turning back to his business of flipping over the now reddish-brown pork with the nearby spatula, and later switching his attention to the patient bean sprouts.

After a few more minutes of fussing and frying, Yuuya found Ran gulping down a heaping plate of steaming yakisoba. He thought he might have put in a little more salt than he should've, but he doubted the girl gave herself a chance to notice at the rate she was slurping down the stuff.

"Remember to breathe, Ran," he chided her with a grin.

He had a feeling she hadn't even heard him. She'd gotten one of those looks in her eyes, like she was possessed, or demonized, or worse. Whatever 'worse' would be in this case.

That was just part of her charm… Okay, even he wasn't that crazy, but still… A relationship is about accepting all aspects of a person, evil and non-evil, right? He could accept her… um… _demonic _side. So, it's all good. No problems here. Nope.

But maybe he'd just leave her alone until she finished her food. There was no need to start World War III before it was absolutely necessary. That'd just be stupid. He might be badass, but he wasn't stupid. _Most _of the time, anyways.

Then again, maybe he should just stop thinking and start cleaning up the mess he'd made in the kitchen. Not thinking about things always made them seem better. He didn't know why, but it just seemed to work that way. So, clean he did, and, by the time he'd finished washing off the last of the residue from the pan, Ran had finished as well.

"That was so damn good," Ran sighed, rubbing her partially sated stomach in satisfaction. "It might not have been much food, but it sure was good. Why haven't you told me about this before?"

"Well, I thought you knew about yakisoba. The sauce packet and noodles were stocked away in your fridge, so I-"

"Not that, you idiot. Why didn't you tell me you could cook like… like _that_?"

"Like what?"

"Like… like… someone who cooks really good!" Ran burst out, looking frustrated at her inability to describe the situation.

"I'm not some amazing chef," he replied, laughing her compliment away. "You were really hungry. That's why it tasted like it did."

"I know my taste buds, they know me. We're like this." She held two of her fingers a half-centimeter apart. "They've never lied to me. They're not just going to start now."

Surprised at her insistency, Yuuya raised an eyebrow. "I've never had any training or anything. I just cook for myself at my house all the time. It's no big deal."

"All the time, as in, _every _day?" she asked with a strange expression on her face.

Yuuya paused for a moment; trying unsuccessfully to decipher the foreign look she was giving him. "A guy has got to eat, and since no one else is going to cook, I have to. Sometimes I have dinner at a restaurant with Rei or something, so I'm not being the manly housewife all the time."

"Oh?" Ran's eyes glinted with some emotion Yuuya had yet to place.

Happiness? Not quite. Anger? No. Sadness? Definitely not. Was there even a word to describe it?

Well, he was stumped. The cards in his hand were useless; he wasn't getting a royal flush tonight. Not that he was any good at poker anyway.

The only thing to do in an awkward silence like this is to smoothly change the topic. Yuuya prided himself on being a master of smoothness among many other things. He was, in fact, the definition of smooth.

"So… how's life?"

Yeah, he was about as smooth as a pit of spikes.

"It's great. Just great," Ran replied emptily, her previous expression gone in half a blink.

Seeming to decide this little midnight rendezvous of theirs was over and done with, she then proceeded to hop off the chair and headed towards the stairs.

Yuuya made to follow her. He couldn't just leave her like this. Something was definitely really going on that she wasn't telling him. The cheery, ass-kicking kogal he had come to know was nowhere in the retreating form of that lost little girl.

She might bite his head off for doing this, but this wasn't something he could let go.

"Ran! Just tell me what's wrong!"

"Why the hell do you care?" she shot back.

Darn. Yuuya knew a loaded question when he heard one and this was about as loaded as they could get. If he even seemed to have the slightest intention of giving her what she might deem as one of the many wrong answers to this question, he had a feeling his inexistent hair stylist's brutal murder would have nothing on his own oncoming death via Ran. He had to think of the perfect answer or else….

_Possible Stupid Answer #1_

_Yuuya: Because I love you!_

_Ran: Jerk! How dare you try and take advantage of me and my feelings when I'm all vulnerable like this. DIE!_

_Possible Stupid Answer #2 _

_Yuuya: I'm just curious._

_Ran: You're just curious? You aren't concerned about me? And to think I thought we were friends, Second Place! This is such a betrayal! DIE!_

_Possible Stupid Answer #3_

_Yuuya: I don't really care actually. _

_Ran: DIE!_

This really wasn't looking too good for him, and by the looks of the glare she was sending his way, silence was helping his cause much either.

The words were out of his mouth before he even realized what he was saying.

"I just do, Ran."

"You just do, huh?" She stared him down.

Then, suddenly deflated, she slunk down the few steps she'd already climbed and sank down into the comfort of the welcoming couch.

"I guess that's as good a reason as any."

Wow. He was still breathing and all his limbs were all perfectly intact. Yuuya was now a firm believer in miracles. And karma. Oh, and Santa Claus! Thank you, Santa!

"So, are you just going to stand there all night, or are you gonna listen to what I have to say?"

"I'll listen to you for as long as you'll talk to me." Yuuya sat next to her with a wide grin.

"It wasn't supposed to happen this way, Second Place." She stared angrily down at the armrest beside her as she spoke. "I'm always the one who calls the shots, not the other way around! I say when it's over, not him! _I_ do!"

Yuuya's grin had long since faded and given way to concern.

"I don't understand. What's over?"

"_He_ is," she said the words almost hesitantly, quite a rarity for the ever-confident Ran. "He's over."

Then it clicked. It clicked like one of those timer bombs that get down to zero; the kind that clicks, then explodes, booms, kaplooms, or something of the sort. Yuuya clicked, then effectually kaploomed.

However, the clicking and kaplooming only happened on the inside. The only sign of his internal turmoil on his outside was the slight twitching of his upper left eyelid. It twitched with a vengeance not many eyelids have experienced, and that's saying something.

In a strangely calm voice he asked, "Ran?"

She looked up from the armrest to meet his gaze, slightly curious, nodding for him to continue.

"You've played Clue before haven't you?" His voice was cold and taunt. "Take inspiration from that game and tell me how you want me to kill the bastard. With the knife? The wrench? I _could _do a combo of two weapons. How about the rope and the lead pipe? The candlestick and the revolver, maybe? Just name the means and I'll take care of the method. I'll be happy with whatever you choose as long as I get to dismember the damn monkey!"

"Whoa there, Colonel. You're going to have to catch him first."

"Oh, that'll just be part of the fun." He sneered wolfishly.

"Only if you're willing to fly across the ocean to get the job done." She gave a half-smile and rolled her eyes. "Not that I don't appreciate the sentiment, Number Two."

"He's fleeing the country? What the hell did Tatsukichi do? Did he get on the bad side of the yakuza or something?"

"He won a contest, stupid." Ran laughed in spite of herself. "There's some dance thingy in New York he's going to for a while. That's all."

"So that's why he broke up with you? That idiot," Yuuya mumbled.

"Well he didn't exactly break up with me. But he's leaving. That's the same thing, right?" Ran huffed, suddenly annoyed again, and crossed her arms tightly across her chest.

"It might be that Monkey Boy's crazy enough to think you'd want to have a long distance relationship with him or something," Yuuya mused dryly. "Hah, like those ever work out."

"You think that's what he meant?" Ran's eyes widened in realization.

"I bet!" Yuuya snorted.

"Yeah, I think that's it!" Ran immediately brightened and whacked herself softly in the forehead. "Doy! It all makes sense now! Thanks, Second Place!"

"You're welcome?"

Why the heck was she thanking him? There they were, plotting Tatsuki's untimely death, when suddenly she's looking at him like he's the coolest guy in the world. Not that he minded or anything. It was just a little strange to say the least.

"You really are like the greatest friend a gal could have, you know!" She smiled sincerely at him.

Her sincerity was missed on Yuuya though. The only thing his mind registered was that word; the six letters that echoed throughout his brain without a trace of mercy.

Friend.

_Friend._

**_Friend._**

**_Friend._**

Damn that word and all it stood for!

He'd known for a while. Hell, he'd known since the beginning. The first time they met, she didn't even take the time to remember his name, so now he was branded with this reminder of what he'd always be to her and the rest of the world. Second Place.

'Man, Second Place, the girls are nearly throwing themselves at your feet. You sure are lucky, dude.' _But not lucky enough to catch Ran's eye._

'Second Place, you're so awesome!' _But not as cool as that guy over there._

'Oh, Second Place. You got a ninety-eight on that huge exam! Congrats! _But there was someone else who got the perfect score._

'Wow, Second Place! You're one of the finalists for the High School Grand Prix. A lot of people must find you pretty damn good looking!' _But Rei actually won the thing._

Is life just like that? He has so much, but just a little less than what he wants. His best is never quite good enough.

"I aim to please," he finally replied, returning Ran's smile with a fake one he was able to plaster on.

"And don't I know it!" She laughed cheerfully, never seeing the emptiness of his expression, before giving in to a yawn. "Man! Being angry makes me tired. I'm officially pooped. Night, Second Place."

"Yeah, get some beauty sleep, Ran." Yuuya gave her a playful wink. "Not that you need it or anything."

"You got that right, mister," Ran mumbled through half lidded eyes. "The world's greatest gal doesn't need sleep to keep up her looks. She's always drop-dead gorgeous."

_And don't I know it_, Yuuya thought to himself with a wry smirk.

"Yeah, but a little shuteye could only help," he retorted aloud.

Noticing her response, or, should he say, complete lack of one, Yuuya glanced over to find Ran out for the count. Her head had flopped forward so her chin rested precariously on her chest, bobbing rhythmically up and down with each over exaggerated inhale and exhale.

"Um, Ran?" Yuuya's eyes widened in alarm. "Hey, you're not supposed to fall asleep here. The couch is… um… uh… bumpy? Yeah, bumpy! Your bed's more comfortable right?" He tried to convince his incoherent listener.

"Ghrgh abgharg," the kogal replied earnestly, as a thick line of drool formed along the left side of her open mouth.

"C'mon, Ran!" He tried shaking her closest shoulder lightly in desperation. "You know what's going to happen if any member of your _strict, protective, gun wielding_ family minus Sayo comes downstairs and sees us both here. I wouldn't mind, but they would! I want to at least live to see the ripe old age of eighteen! _C'mon_, Ran!"

It was like talking to a corpse. Well, at least you knew your odds of getting a response when talking to the dead. They were very _predictable _in that manner. Heavy sleepers, however, were a different story altogether.

One final rough shake on Yuuya's part was all it took to change the situation. The movement shook Ran loose of her hold to part of the cushions, sending her tumbling sideways. Still snoring, she had ended up on the unsuspecting shoulder of an avidly panicking Yuuya Asou.

"Ran!" Yuuya had to bite his lip to hold in the, erm… _manly_ scream that would've have undoubtedly woken every occupant in the neighborhood with its piercing… uh, _manliness_.

Soon stunned and shocked into a stiff silence, a very hormone driven teenager found the back of his neck being subtly tickled by the wavy strands of a quite infamous red streak of hair.

**_HAIRNECKHAIRCOUCHRANFACEHAIR!_**, was Yuuya's calmest thought at this point in time. It actually was quite a feat to accomplish considering the circumstances.

* * *

Announcer: Hey everyone and welcome to the show! 

_Audience cheers_

Announcer: Now… does everyone know what time it is? Let me hear you say it!

Audience: It's WWWI time!

Announcer: What did you say? I can't hear you….

Audience: IT'S W.W.W.I. TIME!

Announcer: You got it folks. It's time for the WWWI or, for those poor people who don't already know, Wonderfully Weird Wrestling of the Imagination!

_Audience hoots and hollers_

Announcer: I don't know about you all, but I think it's time to get this show on the road!

_Audience goes wild_

Announcer: So without further ado, I'll announce our fighters for tonight! In the right corner we have the epitome of justice… the fierce, the proud, the ready to do what's right for all of _yuu_… _Yuu_ya Asooooooooou!

_Audience goes bananas_

Announcer: And in the left corner we have the merciless, the evil-minded, the ever so perverted… the have-a-heart-girls-and-wear-a-_tuu_be-top… Yuuya Asoooooou!

_Audience members turn other audience members into bananas and eat them_

Announcer: To make it easier on you all, ladies and gentleguys, we'll call our fighter on the right, Righty, and his adversary on the left, Lefty. No political connotation intended folks.

_Audience chuckles_

Announcer: The prize for our weird wrestling winner is complete say over the actions of the person imagining this whole fight tonight… Yuuya Asou!

_Audience oohs and aahs_

Announcer: The stakes are high, the competition is unrivaled, and the battle ahead is sure to be worthy to go down in the WWWI hall of fame. So… are you all ready to get weird?

_Audience screams in terror as monkeys who smelled the bananas start to swarm the stadium_

Announcer: I'll take that as a yes! Now… let the match begin!

_Bell dings and both audience members and monkeys grow quiet and take their seats_

Announcer: Wow! It looks like Lefty is coming out strong with a Right Hook of Selfish Intentions!

_Audience gasps_

Announcer: Oh, but Righty dodged it with the Sidestep of Loyalty and Friendship!

_Monkeys ook_

Announcer: Lefty doesn't seem too happy with this development. He's going with his Gut Punch of Deception! This doesn't seem too good for Righty… And it's a direct hit! Right in the stomach! Now that's gotta hurt, folks!

_Monkeys jump, scared, into the laps of the pale audience members_

Announcer: Surprisingly enough, Righty seems unfazed by this powerful blow! It seems he let this punch in on purpose so that he could use his painful Flip of Excellent Morality to get Lefty onto the mat!

_Audience squeeze their monkeys, turning them into cute monkey plushies_

Announcer: Let's count Righty to victory, folks!

All: Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five! Four! Th-

* * *

Smiling softly in her sleep, Ran gave a contented sigh and snuggled up ever closer to her human pillow, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on the crook of his neck.

* * *

Announcer: And with a sudden dramatic turn of events, Lefty sends Righty flying out of the ring! He's going… going… gooooone! I've never seen a wrestling move like that before, but it sure did the trick! _  
_

_Audience whistles and yays_

Announcer: I don't think we need a ten count for this one folks… the winner of this night's WWWI wrestling match is…. Leeefty! Let's give him a hand!

_Audience clap their monkey plushies' hands together_

* * *

Really, it would be a crime to wake her up now. 

_She looks so peaceful sleeping there, so I'm doing her a favor by letting her rest on my shoulder_, Yuuya earnestly convinced himself.

He was spending the night in a house full of police officers so it would be even more criminal than usual to commit a crime, and the last thing Yuuya wanted to be tonight was something that would have him end up in a police box again. So, here Ran would stay.

It wasn't like he was holding her here against her will or anything; there were no ropes, superglue, or screwdrivers involved in this situation whatsoever. On the contrary, she was the one who flopped onto him in the first place, so it wasn't like it was _his _fault. She might be grateful, and thank him, and…

* * *

**The Next Morning**  
A short interior monologue  
Writer: Yuuya Asou  
Director: Yuuya Asou   
Actor(s): Yuuya Asou   
Camera: Yuuya Asou  
Lighting and Special Effects: Yuuya Asou  
Sound and Graphics: Yuuya Asou  
Stunt Guy: Yuuya Asou  
Publication: Yuuya Asou  
Quality Check: Yuuya Asou  
Subtitles: Yuuya Asou  
Special Thanks To…. Yuuya Asou

Key:  
_Italics _Action

R_an stretches daintily and wakes up to birds twittering merrily as they fly over fluffy unicorns, magical rainbows and waltzing flowers. She innocently turns her head and gasps in surprise!_

Yuuya: I see you have awakened, my Ran.

Ran: Second Place, dearest! Why in heaven's name are you where I have awakened this fine morning?

_Ran gasps again, this time in embarrassment, and blushes a deep crimson, turning her head away from the undeniably dashing man next to her._

Ran: Oh! I-I seem to have recalled last nights events.

_Ran begins to cry in shame._

Yuuya: What is wrong, my flower?

Ran: I am a horrible, horrible woman! I retired upon your shoulder so inconsiderately last evening, forcing you to stay in the same position all night, my wonderful Second Place.

_Yuuya puts an arm comfortingly around Ran's delicate shoulder, and gallantly wipes away her crystalline tears with the muscular fingers of his free hand._

Yuuya: My beautiful porcelain butterfly, it was an honor to have one such as you retire upon my undeserving shoulder.

Ran: Oh, my dashing night! But wasn't it hard for you to sleep as well?

Yuuya: I did not sleep last night, my sunshine, but it was because I was content to gaze upon your glistening orange tresses all throughout the dark hours!

_Ran brings a self-conscious hand to her hair and blushes an even deeper crimson._

Ran: Oh, my charming prince! How you flatter me so!

Yuuya: I do not flatter, my bewitching princess. I only speak the truth.

_Yuuya and Ran embrace lovingly under the rising sun._

The End

"Hey, a guy can dream, can't he?" Yuuya whispered hopefully to himself, sneaking yet another glance at the sleeping beauty next to him grinning happily in her slumber.

* * *

Yeah, I know. I'm scared too, and I have a feeling it's only going to get weirder. 

No Q&A this time, for there was not a question to be answered. Maybe next time!

On a side note, I usually don't use Japanese words in my stories because of the possible confusion it might cause some readers, but I just wouldn't feel right putting some Japanese dishes in English. If I did, Ran would be saying stuff like, "I want some octopus balls!", instead of, "I want some takoyaki!" I don't know about you, but I personally find the English version of that statement really… wrong. So, just bear with me for this one, okay?

Well, if you liked it, review! If you didn't, well, then I'm glad you don't know where I live. You don't, do you?

Um…

EveryNever runs to get her pepper spray.


	9. The Laws of Chemistry: Undeniable

A/N: Hi again. Yes, I know it's been a while. Sorry about the wait. Again… Heheh… But thanks Lulala, Gambet, Tohru Sohma, and RoseDart RanYuuya for reviewing. Every review makes me want to write more and more! Now I'm going to try and use the review reply thingy fanfiction . net has set up, so if you review, I'll try my best to reply!

In this chapter we get to delve further into the freakish strangeness that is Yuuya's psyche. Yes, scary, I know, but just bear with me here. There is a method to EveryNever's madness.

Kinda.

Disclaimer: I still have to do this after eight consecutive chapters? That is sad. Really, really sad.

* * *

Chapter 9: The Laws of Chemistry: Undeniable 

Key:

"sentence"- speech/dialogue

_italicized word _or 'word'- thoughts or an exaggerated phrase/word

_italicized sentence _– daydream/thoughts

* * *

There was this bench. Yuuya had to admit it was a pretty nice bench as benches go. It was very… chic in a sense, with its wooden slats finely carved to perfection beneath a flawless coat of brown paint that might as well have been brushed on yesterday. If benches were people, Yuuya presumed, this bench would be that charismatic Italian zooming along in their custom made Lamborghini with their choice of any and all of the hotness in the dating scene in the area. 

Yes, it was quite the bench.

This bench, in fact, was the object that was finally successful in stopping Yuuya in his tracks. Skidding to a halt, he quit running from… What _was _he running from again? He couldn't quite remember. Not that it mattered, though. He wasn't running from anything anymore – at least, not for now.

Resting a hand, hesitant at first, over the armrest on one side, Yuuya was amazed to find the workmanship was as pleasing to the touch as it was to the eyes. He almost mistook the metal for silk for a moment; it was uncharacteristically smooth and soft for something that was usually so rough and hard.

It was decided then. This was going to be _his _bench. A bench like this didn't come along every day, so what kind of moron would he be if he passed this one up? Not a very smart one, that's for sure.

Like Lance, no, _Neil_ Armstrong and the moon, or the English and their Plymouth Rock, he'd stake his claim on this bench.

But _how_?

Determined, yet uncertain, Yuuya faltered. It wasn't as if he had the flag for the United Nations of Yuuya on him at the moment or even a piece of paper and a pen he could use to make a temporary one. Of course he could just go sit on the bench to show any passerby that this seat was taken... but, no... really, he couldn't, wouldn't, do that. This bench was just too special, too amazing for that sort of run-of-the-mill tactic. It deserved someone just as amazing that would do something just as special to claim it.

Was he special enough? Was he worthy? Was it even worth it to try? What made him so special that he could do this? Wasn't there someone better? Would he just ruin things? Was he willing to risk that? Was he-

Suddenly from up above, there was the slight rustling of branches. Training his gaze towards the noise, Yuuya saw a flash of brown hopping through the tree above him. A bird maybe? Or a chipmunk? No, too large. Then… what?

As if to answer his question, the object of mystery suddenly came crashing down through the leaves with a resounding thump. Jumping back in surprise, Yuuya tripped, as gracefully as one trips, over a rather annoyingly placed rock, landing flat on his tailbone.

_Now that's gonna be one helluva bruise in a few hours_, Yuuya winced as he rubbed the sore area.

OOK!

What the…? Ignoring the pain for a moment, he raised his head to find himself staring straight into the wide eyes of a hyperactive monkey. That little guy must have been the one making all that noise before dive-bombing out of the tree. Was it suicidal or something? It certainly couldn't be safe to perform a crazy stunt like that without a parachute, or a trampoline, or a hardhat at the very least. Were there monkey doctors for this kind of thing? Monkeys could get mentally ill, right? Maybe it was genetic?

AH! AH! OOK!

Intent on glaring pointedly at the animal for interrupting his thoughts, Yuuya sucked in a small breath as his eyes came to rest on something slightly lower. It finally registered with him where the monkey had landed: directly on the bench. Hopping around like a mad man, or mad monkey in this case, the energetic fur ball was dancing all over the wood, staining the perfect paint with muddy paw prints and marring the seat with its tiny claws.

No! How dare that little... Yuuya wanted to scream. He wanted to charge at the monkey and ring its puny, little monkey neck. He wanted to save what remained of that wonderful bench. He wanted to stop all this. He just wanted it all to stop.

So why couldn't he open his mouth? His lips were glued together; the saliva weighted his tongue down like cement. He needed to stop this! Why couldn't he stop this!

Finally, his legs supported him. Finally! They carried him off and away. Wait! He didn't want to go away! He had to go back and kick some monkey ass! He didn't want to run anymore! Why the hell couldn't he stop running?

In one last desperate attempt at _something_, Yuuya turned his head back to look at the distant scene. The monkey's golden eyes caught his with a knowing flick of the tail.

_You waited just a little too long_, it seemed to say.

The monkey was gone. The bench was gone. He kept running from… _it_.

No… No. No. No! No! NO! NO! NO!

"NO!"

Yuuya woke up.

Silence took the reigns.

Cautiously, ever so cautiously, he raised an unsteady hand to his face. It was clammy and chilled, drenched in a cold sweat, barely visible in the murky light. He moved his fingers experimentally.

"Heh, stingy! I know you can put more cotton candy on that stick than that! Try again and get it right or I'll kick your… asgrahpmy… mephgrammm…"

"Ran," Yuuya breathed out, watching the girl twitch happily in her sleep.

That's right. He was here at the Kotobuki's for reasons he'd rather forget for the time being. Not that there was anything wrong with being here. It was just… there were better ways to get here. Not that beggars could be choosers or anything. It was just…

Yuuya sighed and attempted to pull himself up.

"Ow!" he hissed and slumped back down to the floor.

So part of the dream really did happen, Yuuya thought wryly to himself, trying to block out the throbbing his movement had caused his fragile tush. He must have fallen on the floor sometime in the middle of the night and given his butt quite the beating.

Gritting his teeth, he managed to help himself up without too much pain thanks to the sturdiness of the edge of the couch. With a strange mixture of hopping and limping, Yuuya slowly made his way over to the kitchen. Leaning against the side of the sink, he turned on the water as cold as it could get, splashing his face with it a few times.

"There," he murmured to himself, grabbing the nearby dishtowel, wiping his flushed cheeks a few times. "Nothing like chucking ice at your face to get the blood pumping."

_And to scare the monkeys away, _he mentally added as he gave his forehead one last vicious scrub as if to rub off the remnants of the dream.

Folding the towel neatly, he placed it back while stealing a quick glance at the digital clock. Three thirty a.m. And he'd gotten to bed sometime after twelve. Great. The nightmare and face rub might have gotten the adrenaline pumping for now, but he knew from experience that in a few more hours he'd be comatose at best. At least there was still a week or two of summer left, which gave him a while to catch up on some of that lost sleep, and an excuse to _misplace _his homework for a little while longer.

Jamming his hands into the pockets of the pajamas that were sewn on to the material like swinging car doors, Yuuya wandered back into the living room where his socks brushing with the carpet broke the heavy silence again and again.

There she was.

Yuuya couldn't imagine a time, place, world crisis, hot model, or anything that would find him tired of looking at her. It was like defying the laws of physics.

You just don't defy the laws of physics, because, well, they just can't be defied. According to his physics teacher, anyway.

And he'd just have to assume that chemistry was the same way, because, well, Ran was Ran. Well, she was last time he checked.

Grunting in her sleep, the Ran known to be Ran curled her lips into a full smile, and, Yuuya, finding out firsthand how contagious certain grins were, returned hers with a shy one of his own… until he felt a cold weight fill his hand.

About ready to scream his head off and make a nose dive for the space under the couch, he peered down with the reluctant eyes, relived to see only a glass half filled with water resting right in the middle of his hand. He didn't know what he would have done if it had been some palm-sized slug monster from the twilight zone, and, thankfully, would never have to find out. Getting a firm grip on the drink so as not to drop it, Yuuya took an appreciative sip, refreshing a dry throat.

Right in the middle of a swallow, however, the gears in his sleep-deprived brain began to turn, and the conclusion it drew was almost enough to send the water right back out where it came from. Stubbornly strong esophagus muscles and a tightly clenched jaw allowed Yuuya to finish that swallow, but nothing was stopping the logic of a certain train of thought that wasn't really one of the happiest or funnest thoughts to think as thoughts go.

It started with a question.

_Who the hell just gave me that glass!_

Which led to a few truths.

_Ran didn't give it to me, unless she travels at the speed of light. She travels pretty fast but not that fast, and when has she ever given me anything anyway? _

_Wow, now that I think about it she's never given me a single thing, except, maybe a restaurant bill or two. Man, that's a bit depressing. _

Which led to even more truths.

_Well, I know I didn't give it to myself. The only way that could happen would be if I blacked out and some part of my subconscious took control long enough to go to the kitchen, get a glass of water, then sit down right where I originally was before giving me back myself._

_Huh hum._

_Yeah, I think there was a movie about that once… What was it called again? Dang, can't remember… But there was this guy that kept blacking out at random times and it turned out that this other side of himself was taking control during those times and was going on a killing spree._

_Yep, serious craziness issues there._

_And that's definitely not me._

…

_Definitely._

Which after a serious mental beating led to an undeniable fact.

_Someone other than me or Ran gave me this glass._

Which finally worked up to the water-spitting conclusion.

_Someone other than Ran or me saw Ran and me. And after seeing us, they gave me this glass of water…_

Which brought around yet another question.

_Why am I still alive?_

And another.

_Or am I alive?_

Which, after a painful pinch, led to a thought.

_Maybe just dying isn't good enough for them. Maybe they want to torture me slowly as I wither away in pure agony._

_Fun. Just the way I like to spend my Saturday mornings!_

_What about cartoons, they'll ask? _

_Jeez, that's such old school entertainment! Bring out the shotgun and the whip, I say!_

Which, after a few more moments of bitter sarcasm, brought around another possibility.

_They poisoned the water!_

Which led to a wish.

_Why oh why didn't I spit it out when I had the chance! Stupid instincts!_

Which led to another wish.

_Why oh why didn't I listen to the media when it encouraged bulimia? Now I know how great throwing up on demand could actually be…_

Which would have inevitably led to something else if not for the firm interruption to his thoughts that bumped right into him. Literally.

Nearly knocked over backward, Yuuya flailed around mutely – so as not to wake the rest of the household – to regain is balance before looking around wildly for the mystery intruder. He found them kneeling, back stiff, knees aligned straight, next to Ran and the couch. And as for who it was? Well, it was the girlish yellow hair that gave him the clue.

"Um, Sayo? You're Sayo, Ran's little sister, right?"

He was answered with silence as the figure brought her hands up and placed yet another glass next the Ran's sleeping figure before promptly getting up and walking stiffly to the kitchen.

"Uh, that's a pretty dangerous place to put that," Yuuya whispered to the retreating figure. "I know from experience that Ran can get kinda violent in her sleep. Let me just move that for you… here."

After placing the water glasses safely on the nearest counter, Yuuya glanced cautiously towards the kitchen, half expecting Sayo to come charging back out brandishing that whip and shotgun with glaring, blood red eyes that told any passerby that pain on the brain.

"Sayo. Hey," Yuuya laughed nervously as he made his way over to the kitchen. "Yeah, I know this might be kind of weird for you, but just so you know, I'm a friend. I'm no burglar or kidnapper or anything. Well, I am _something _but just not anything like that. Like I'm a good something, not a bad anything… or something like that."

_Dangit! _Yuuya gave himself a mental shake._ You gotta pull it together, man, before she really starts thinking you're some crazy man molesting her sister in the middle of the night on her couch. _

_Ouch, that really sounds bad when I put it that way! But it's all a misunderstanding! And it will be resolved peacefully! Diplomatically! Without bloodshed or World War II reenactments! _

_Hopefully…_

"I hang out with your sister and her friends sometimes. You might have heard of me? The Second Place Guy? The really_ nice, kind, innocent_ Second Place Guy?"

Still no response.

This was really starting to freak Yuuya out to put it lightly. Feeling like he was trapped in the middle of one of those teenage horror movies, you know, where poor Billy gets his head chopped off right after Mary is suffocated by her own shirt. Praying he wouldn't be the next unwilling victim, Yuuya slowly, ever so slowly, opened the door to the kitchen.

And there they were, ten of them at least, lined up in solemn rows of threes across the kitchen counter. Sliding another one into place, Sayo turned to prepare another for its place in the formation.

Yeah, um, question?

"Sayo, uh, do you mind telling me what you need all those water glasses for?"

Question not answered.

Still completely ignoring him, Sayo continued her strange task of filling and placing water glasses on the counter. She had collected a miniature army already, having captured almost every glass in the open cupboard and still coming back for more.

Was this some nightly Kotobuki household ritual? Or maybe Sayo was just obsessive-compulsive?

Huh…

Yuuya put his little brainstorming session on hold when he noticed something strange. Not that all this _wasn't _strange, but this was something strange in a strange situation, which made what he noticed even _stranger_. It was like putting a magnifying glass to the word and giving it a fluffy pink sweatshirt to model. That kind of thing would be weird even in the company of a three-eyed, tap dancing pirate and a talking rock.

Well, enough about _how _strange it was. Now, about what it actually _was _that he noticed…

Sayo's eyes were wide open, as in _wide_. Really, you could stick a watermelon between those lashes with room to spare. But even though those eyes were open, it was obvious they weren't taking in any information. They were glazed with a slight far-off look to them, never moving side to side, or up and down, but always staring straight ahead. Her mouth was set in an empty line, matching her stiff, almost robotic, walk.

There was a saying, Yuuya remembered, that kinda fit here. What was it? Ah, yeah! 'The lights are on but nobody's home,' because that was exactly what seemed like the case with Sayo.

Waving a quick hand in front of her face as she passed him by with one of the final glasses, he received no reaction whatsoever.

So it was official then.

Sayo Kotobuki was a sleepwalker! Yuuya Asou would not be dismembered (as of yet)!

Heaving a sigh of relief, Yuuya leaned heavily against the sturdiness of the counter. After a short, mental victory dance and a moment of relaxation, he glanced up again to watch the girl carry out her strange mission. He'd never seen a sleepwalker in action before –not that he'd had much of a chance to- so, he had to admit, this was pretty cool.

When he thought about it, Yuuya realized that filling up a glass of water could very well be harder than it looks. It involves some pretty complicated hand eye coordination to get the right amount of water with the least amount of spillage. And doing that flawlessly in your sleep? Now that takes some major skill.

Finally, it seemed Sayo was on her last glass. The cupboard was empty and if anything else was placed on that kitchen counter a lot of glassware was going to shatter to their untimely dooms.

After a moment's pause near the glassless cupboard, the girl promptly turned and headed out the kitchen.

"Hey, good night, Sayo!" Yuuya whispered after her. "Even though you probably won't remember this, it's been cool!"

He poked his head out of the kitchen doorway just in time to see her disappear up the stairs.

The Kotobuki family was a strange, albeit lovable, breed. Lesson most definitely learned.

Shuffling back to the living room, Yuuya knew what he had to do. If he wanted much of a chance of living through this fast coming morning, he had to get Ran off that couch and into her bed without notice. This would bring some normalcy to the place, thus canceling out some of the strangeness. Like a buffer!

Maybe.

Maybe. Maybe.

The only question was how? Waking her up was as good as impossible and he certainly wasn't Tom Cruise, so that nixed that.

Teleportation? Levitation? Now, he was just being stupid.

Well, there always was the old fashioned way… actually carrying her up there himself. He'd lifted a weight or two before. Lifting a human being should be pretty similar.

Right?

_Right?_

Hm, it was worth a shot…

Before he could change his mind, he quickly scooped her up bridal style and stumbled his way towards the stairs. Surprised, Yuuya found her quite light and easy to lift. Now he really was wondering where all that food went. Maybe her stomach led to a black hole where the stuff just disintegrated. That would explain why she was constantly so hungry! Black holes have quite the insatiable appetites, or so he heard.

Reaching the stairs, he turned sideways and slowly began to climb. His progress continued until he felt something latch onto his shirt.

Murmuring softly in her sleep, Ran had unconsciously scooted towards the nearest source of warmth burying her head in the material by Yuuya's chest.

Loosing all sense of coordination, Yuuya nearly tripped, almost sending both him and Ran flying. _Damn! She just had to be born that cute!_

_Alright, Yuuya. You can do this man! Just don't think about it! Don't think about the fact that Ran's cradled in your arms. Don't think about the fact that you're putting **Ran **to **bed**._

_God, that sounds so dirty…_

Panicking slightly, Yuuya and his reddened face stood frozen, halfway up the stairs, eyes never moving from Ran.

_Just, uh, imagine that she's someone else! Yeah! She's… she's that old guy I always see walking his poodle in his long johns in the middle of the night! That wrinkly old dude! Yeah! I'm carrying Mr. Old Guy up the stairs!_

_Jeez, that's just plain wrong…_

_Agh! To hell with it!_

With a soft grunt he dashed the rest of the way up the stairs, pushed open Ran's already half way open bedroom door and dropped his cargo gently on her bed. Slightly squeaking bedsprings played out his victory song.

Tonight, or should he say this morning, had been full of way to many close calls. He could only hope this was the last of them.

Yuuya knew he wouldn't ever leave if he didn't get out of that room soon, so with one gentle look back, he quickly tiptoed back to downstairs, collapsing, satisfied, on the couch.

_Hah! Take that Monkey Boy! I bet you've never put Ran to bed before! Score one for the Yuuyameister!_

Yuuya grinned smugly to himself before snuggling down into the mass of pillows and cushions, eyes closed and breathing steadily slowing. After about five seconds of that, a pair of eyelids snapped open faster than blinds on a highly caffeinated diet.

"This is where Ran just slept!"

Time continued to pass nevertheless.

* * *

And here we have the official, kinda, sorta, halfway point of A Gal's Life! Yays! Here's a peek at what we have to look forward to in the next few chapters… 

Monkey Boy's really leaving. What's a Super Gal to do? Will Ran even be there to see him off? What about Yuuya? What was up with that dream he had? What was/is he running from? Does Ran have anything to do with any of it? And how about Aya and Rei? Is everything as great as it seems for these two? What's got Rei so ticked off? Will it affect his relationship with Aya? And who is this other familiar contestant that is bringing some major competition for Tatsuki? And what exactly _is _this dance contest anyway?

These questions and more will be answered in the coming chapters of A Gal's Life. Stay tuned!


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